balm
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a thick liquid or cream that you put on your skin to heal it or make it feel less painful.
n.an aromatic ointment or preparation used to heal or soothe the skin.
Simple“He applied a cooling lip balm to his dry, cracked lips.”
In context“The pharmacist recommended a herbal balm containing calendula to soothe the patient's minor skin irritation.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.something that makes you feel calm or happy when you are sad or worried.
n.something that has a comforting, soothing, or restorative effect on the mind or emotions.
Simple“The quiet music was a balm to his tired mind after a long day.”
In context“For the grieving widow, the kind words of her old friends acted as a balm to her wounded spirit.”
Antonymsaggravationstressor - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a sweet-smelling plant, like lemon balm, often used in tea or medicine.
n.any of several aromatic herbs of the mint family, especially Melissa officinalis.
Simple“She grew fresh balm in her garden to make herbal tea in the summer.”
In context“The recipe calls for a handful of crushed lemon balm leaves to provide a subtle citrus undertone to the infusion.”
Synonymslemon balmherb - 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to make someone feel better or to make a pain less strong.
v.to soothe, mitigate, or alleviate pain or emotional distress.
Simple“The cool evening air helped to balm his burning skin.”
In context“The poet sought to balm the collective sorrow of the nation through his elegiac verses.”
UsageThis verb is rarely used in modern speech and is almost exclusively found in older literature.
Antonyms
Inherited from Middle English bawme, borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Middle French baume, from Old French basme, from Latin balsamum, itself from Ancient Greek βάλσαμον (bálsamon). Spelling modified 16th c. to conform to Latin etymology. Doublet of balsam and desman.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.