Adjacent Words

Salve definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SALVE, n. sav. [L. salvus.]
1. A glutinous composition or substance to be applied to wounds or sores; when spread on leather or cloth, it is called a plaster.
2. Help; remedy.
SALVE, v.t. sav.
1. To heal by applications or medicaments. [little used.]
2. To help; to remedy. [Little used.]
3. To help or remedy by a salvo, excuse or reservation. [Little used.]
4. To salute. [Not in use.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation [syn: ointment, unction, unguent, balm, salve]
2: anything that remedies or heals or soothes; "he needed a salve for his conscience" v
1: save from ruin, destruction, or harm [syn: salvage, salve, relieve, save]
2: apply a salve to, usually for the purpose of healing

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sealf; akin to Old High German salba salve, Greek olp? oil flask Date: before 12th century 1. an unctuous adhesive substance for application to wounds or sores 2. a remedial or soothing influence or agency <a salve to their hurt feelings> II. transitive verb (salved; salving) Date: before 12th century 1. to remedy (as disease) with or as if with a salve 2. quiet, assuage <give him a raise in salary to salve his feelings — Upton Sinclair> III. transitive verb (salved; salving) Etymology: back-formation from salvage Date: circa 1706 salvage • salvor noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 a healing ointment. 2 (often foll. by for) a thing that is soothing or consoling for wounded feelings, an uneasy conscience, etc. 3 archaic a thing that explains away a discrepancy or palliates a fault. --v.tr. 1 soothe (pride, self-love, conscience, etc.). 2 archaic anoint (a wound etc.). 3 archaic smooth over, make good, vindicate, harmonize, etc. Etymology: OE s(e)alf(e), s(e)alfian f. Gmc; senses 1 and 3 of v. partly f. L salvare SAVE(1) 2. v.tr. 1 save (a ship or its cargo) from loss at sea. 2 save (property) from fire. Derivatives: salvable adj. Etymology: back-form. f. SALVAGE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Salve Salve, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Salved; p. pr. & vb. n. Salving.] [AS. sealfian to anoint. See Salve, n.] 1. To heal by applications or medicaments; to cure by remedial treatment; to apply salve to; as, to salve a wound. --Shak. 2. To heal; to remedy; to cure; to make good; to soothe, as with an ointment, especially by some device, trick, or quibble; to gloss over. But Ebranck salved both their infamies With noble deeds. --Spenser. What may we do, then, to salve this seeming inconsistence? --Milton.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Salve Sal"ve, interj. [L., hail, God save you, imperat. of salvere to be well. Cf. Salvo a volley.] Hail!

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Salve Salve, v. t. & i. [See Salvage] To save, as a ship or goods, from the perils of the sea. [Recent]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Salve Sal"ve (? or ?), v. t. To say ``Salve'' to; to greet; to salute. [Obs.] By this that stranger knight in presence came, And goodly salved them. --Spenser.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Salve Salve (?; 277), n. [AS. sealf ointment; akin to LG. salwe, D. zalve, zalf, OHG. salba, Dan. salve, Sw. salfva, Goth. salb[=o]n to anoint, and probably to Gr. (Hesychius) ? oil, ? butter, Skr. sarpis clarified butter. [root]155, 291.] 1. An adhesive composition or substance to be applied to wounds or sores; a healing ointment. --Chaucer. 2. A soothing remedy or antidote. Counsel or consolation we may bring. Salve to thy sores. --Milton. Salve bug (Zo["o]l.), a large, stout isopod crustacean ([AE]ga psora), parasitic on the halibut and codfish, -- used by fishermen in the preparation of a salve. It becomes about two inches in length.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(salves, salving, salved) 1. If you do something to salve your conscience, you do it in order to feel less guilty. (FORMAL) I give myself treats and justify them to salve my conscience. = ease VERB: V n 2. Salve is an oily substance that is put on sore skin or a wound to help it heal. ...a soothing salve for sore, dry lips. = balm N-MASS

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Healing ointment, cerate. 2. Help, remedy, corrective, antidote. II. v. a. 1. Anoint, heal, cure. 2. Help, remedy, mend, gloss over.

Moby Thesaurus

Trinkgeld, abate, aid, allay, alleviate, alleviative, alleviator, anesthetize, anodyne, anoint, appease, assuage, assuagement, assuager, balm, balsam, beeswax, benumb, bonus, bounty, bribe, brilliantine, calmative, cerate, chrism, cold cream, collyrium, comfort, consideration, counterirritant, cream, cushion, daub, deaden, deaden the pain, demulcent, diminish, dolorifuge, donative, dope, dose, double time, dress, dressing, drug, dull, ease, ease matters, embrocate, embrocation, emollient, eye-lotion, eyewash, eyewater, face cream, fee, foment, give relief, glycerolate, gratuity, gravy, grease, grease the wheels, hand lotion, honorarium, incentive pay, inducement, inunction, inunctum, lagniappe, lanolin, lard, largess, lay, lenitive, lessen, liberality, liniment, lotion, lubricant, lubricate, lull, medicate, mitigate, mitigator, moderator, modulator, mollifier, mollify, narcotic, nard, numb, oil, ointment, opiate, pacificator, pacifier, pad, palliate, palliative, palm oil, peacemaker, perks, perquisite, pomade, pomatum, poultice, pour balm into, pour oil on, pourboire, premium, reduce, relief, relieve, remedy, restraining hand, salvage, sedative, shock absorber, slacken, slake, slick, slick on, smear, smooth the way, soap the ways, soften, something extra, soothe, soother, soothing syrup, spikenard, sportula, stabilizer, stupe, subdue, sweetener, temperer, tip, tranquilizer, unction, unguent, unguentum, vulnerary, wax, wiser head