כָּזַב (b. h.; cmp. כזז) [to shrink, cmp. כָּחַשׁ,] to fail, dry up (of watercourses); to be false, to lie; to flatter. Tosef. Par. IX (VIII), 2 מפני שכָּזְבָה וכ׳ because it gave out during the war.—Snh. 82ᵇ (play on כזבי, Num. XXV, 15) כזבה באביה she was false to her father (in disobeying his instructions). Tanḥ. Sh’laḥ 5 לא כָזַבְתִּי לך I did not tell thee a falsehood; a. e.
    Pi. - כִּיזֵּב same. Par. VIII, 9 המים המְכַזְּבִים waters which fail at certain times. Y. Taan. II, 65ᵇ bot. (ref. to Num. XXIII, 19) אם יאמר … מְכַזֵּב הוא if a man says, I am a God, he is a deceiver. Num. R. s. 23 (ref. to Num. l. c.) איש עושה לאל שיְכַזֵּב a man (through his prayer) may cause God to fail (to execute his evil decrees); Tanḥ. Masé 7 לא איש עושה לאל שיכ׳ does not a man cause God &c.?—Yoma 69ᵇ לא כִיזְּבוּ לו Ms. M. (ed. בו) they would not be false in His praise (flatter); a. fr.—Part. pass. מְכוּזָּב, pl. מְכוּזָּבִים reduced. Ruth. R. to I, 1 (play on כזבה, I Chr. IV, 22) אלו בניו שהיו מכ׳ that refers to his (Elimelech’s) sons who were reduced (died).