تلهى

• IPA^(key): /ta.lah.haː/

تَلَهَّى • (talahhā) V (non-past يَتَلَهَّى (yatalahhā), verbal noun تَلَهٍّ (talahhin))

1. to amuse oneself, to pass the time (بِ (bi) with)
   • 1962, Ghassan Kanafani, رجال في الشمس [Men in the Sun]:

     أَمَّا مِرْوَانَ فَقَدْ أَخَذَ يَتَلَهَّى بِقَصْفِ عُودٍ جَافٍّ

     ʔammā mirwāna faqad ʔaḵaḏa yatalahhā biqaṣfi ʕūdin jāffin

     As for Mirwan, he had begun to amuse himself by breaking a dry stick.

2. to be distracted, to be inattentive
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 80:8-10:

     وَأَمَّا مَن جَاءَكَ يَسْعَى / وَهُوَ يَخْشَى / فَأَنْتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّىٰ

     waʔammā man jāʔaka yasʕā / wahuwa yaḵšā / faʔanta ʕanhu talahhā

     But as for him who cometh unto thee with earnest purpose / And hath fear, / From him thou art distracted.