balm
/bɑːm
/noun
1A fragrant cream or liquid used to heal or soothe the skin: a skin balm for use after shaving...
- Body washes, shampoos, liquid talc, massaging balms and skin lotions are all priced at £3.99.
- With modern grooming products, battery-powered razors, and shaving balms to smooth the skin, there's probably no excuse for a man to have any facial hair.
- An extension to her practice is the line of lotions, gels, creams, balms and lip glosses.
Synonyms
ointment, lotion, cream, salve, liniment, embrocation, rub, gel, emollient, unguent, balsam, moisturizer;
pomade, pomatum
technical demulcent, humectant
archaic unction
1.1Something that has a soothing or restorative effect: the murmur of the water can provide balm for troubled spirits...
- Indeed, an evenly divided Congress could provide the healing balm the country desperately needs.
- They come for the balm that touch can provide in times that are immensely stressful to the human psyche.
- It also reminds in the quietest way how families can provide a balm against this worry.
Synonyms
relief, comfort, ease, consolation, cheer, solace;
alleviation, mitigation, assuagement, healing
2A tree which yields a fragrant resinous substance, especially one used in medicine.
- Species in several families, in particular those of the genus Commiphora (family Burseraceae). See also balm of Gilead.
- The balm tree is no longer found in Judea.
- Now this did not one jot move the orange till she saw a man at work with an incision-knife, upon a balm-tree there at hand, to let out the balsam.
2.1 [mass noun] The resinous substance yielded by a balm.The balm exuded by this shrub led to it being regarded throughout part of its native range (especially in Spain, Italy, & Greece) as one & the same with the biblical Balm of Gilead.
3 (also lemon or sweet balm) [mass noun] A bushy herb of the mint family, with leaves smelling and tasting of lemon.
- Melissa officinalis, family Labiatae.
- The consensus is that they tend to avoid aromatic herbs including garlic, onions, chives, rosemary, lavender, lemon balm, mint, tansy, lovage, marjoram, thyme, sage and fennel.
- My favorite herbs to grow are basil, oregano, lemon balm, parsley and mint.
3.1Used in names of other aromatic herbs of the mint family, e.g. bee balm.I almost passed over her, cloaked in an old brown robe and deep in conversation with a toothless old peasant woman selling various herbs and balms....
- The apothecary, Harold, was robbed of some herbs and balms, as I am sure you know.
- I purchased my bee balm from flea and farmer's markets.
Origin
Middle English (in the sense 'preparation for embalming, fragrant resinous substance'): from Old French basme, from Latin balsamum (see balsam).