دكك

Core meaning

To crush a mass by packing it down under pressure, until it is levelled: the mountain sinks down, the rampart is reduced to dust, the earth is flattened.

Uses

1. جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا (7:143) → "to make it sink down under pressure" : the mountain that settles upon itself when its Guardian unveils Himself to it.

   • «فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّۭا» (7:143)

2. جَعَلَهُۥ دَكَّآءَ → "to reduce it to dust" : the rampart levelled at the promised term.

   • «جَعَلَهُۥ دَكَّآءَ» — "He will reduce it to dust" (18:98)

3. دُكَّتَا دَكَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ → "flattened with a single blow" : the earth and the mountains crushed together; the noun doubles the verb.

   • «فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ» (69:14)

4. دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا → "flattened blow after blow" : the earth crushed blow upon blow, on the last Day.

   • «إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّۭا دَكًّۭا» (89:21)

Evidence from the text

The word always bears on a solid mass, mountain, rampart or earth, and on the crushing that packs it down until it is levelled. In 7:143, the mountain does not withstand the unveiling of its Guardian: it sinks down upon itself, and Moussa falls thunderstruck. In 18:98, the rampart just raised is only a reprieve: "when the promise of my Guardian comes, He will reduce it to dust".

The two uses of the last Day insist through repetition: the verb followed by its noun, "with a single blow" (69:14), or the doubled noun, دَكًّا دَكًّا (89:21). The earth and the mountains, lifted and then crushed, keep no relief.

Distinctions

• حطم — to break into pieces, whereas دكك packs down and levels
• بسس — to reduce to particles that scatter, whereas دكك crushes in place

See also

جلو (to unveil oneself (7:143)) · جبل (the mountain)