ع ث وʿ-th-w
(ن) عَثَا يَعْثُو عُثُوًّاʿathā yaʿthū ʿuthuwwan; also (س) عَثِيَ يَعْثَيٰʿathiya yaʿthā: to spread corruption; to cause mischief. In the Quran this root always occurs with «مُفْسِدِيْنmufsidīn», which produces emphasis. Five times in the Quran, each time in this same construction: ﴿وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِيْنَ﴾ (Al-Baqarah 2:60, Al-Aʿrāf 7:74, Hūd 11:85, Ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:183, Al-ʿAnkabūt 29:36).