Balsam

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Balsam \Bal"sam\ (b[add]l"sam), n. [L. balsamum the balsam tree
     or its resin, Gr. ba`lsamon. See {Balm}, n.]
     1. A resin containing more or less of an essential or
        volatile oil.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     Note: The balsams are aromatic resinous substances, flowing
           spontaneously or by incision from certain plants. A
           great variety of substances pass under this name, but
           the term is now usually restricted to resins which, in
           addition to a volatile oil, contain benzoic and
           cinnamic acid. Among the true balsams are the balm of
           Gilead, and the balsams of copaiba, Peru, and Tolu.
           There are also many pharmaceutical preparations and
           resinous substances, possessed of a balsamic smell, to
           which the name balsam has been given.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.)
        (a) A species of tree ({Abies balsamea}).
        (b) An annual garden plant ({Impatiens balsamina}) with
            beautiful flowers; balsamine.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Anything that heals, soothes, or restores.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Was not the people's blessing a balsam to thy blood?
                                                    --Tennyson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Balsam apple} (Bot.), an East Indian plant ({Momordica
        balsamina}), of the gourd family, with red or
        orange-yellow cucumber-shaped fruit of the size of a
        walnut, used as a vulnerary, and in liniments and
        poultices.
  
     {Balsam fir} (Bot.), the American coniferous tree, {Abies
        balsamea}, from which the useful Canada balsam is derived.
        
  
     {Balsam of copaiba}. See {Copaiba}.
  
     {Balsam of Mecca}, balm of Gilead.
  
     {Balsam of Peru}, a reddish brown, syrupy balsam, obtained
        from a Central American tree ({Myroxylon Pereir[ae]} and
        used as a stomachic and expectorant, and in the treatment
        of ulcers, etc. It was long supposed to be a product of
        Peru.
  
     {Balsam of Tolu}, a reddish or yellowish brown semisolid or
        solid balsam, obtained from a South American tree
        ({Myroxylon toluiferum}). It is highly fragrant, and is
        used as a stomachic and expectorant.
  
     {Balsam tree}, any tree from which balsam is obtained, esp.
        the {Abies balsamea}.
  
     {Canada balsam}, {Balsam of fir}, Canada turpentine, a
        yellowish, viscid liquid, which, by time and exposure,
        becomes a transparent solid mass. It is obtained from the
        balm of Gilead (or balsam) fir ({Abies balsamea}) by
        breaking the vesicles upon the trunk and branches. See
        {Balm}.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Balsam \Bal"sam\, v. t.
     To treat or anoint with balsam; to relieve, as with balsam;
     to render balsamic.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  balsam
       n 1: any seed plant yielding balsam
       2: any of various fragrant oleoresins used in medicines and
          perfumes
       3: a fragrant ointment containing a balsam resin

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  114 Moby Thesaurus words for "balsam":
     aid, alterative, ambergris, ambrosia, analeptic, aromatic,
     aromatic gum, aromatic water, assistance, attar, attar of roses,
     balm, balm of Gilead, bay oil, bergamot oil, brilliantine, cerate,
     champaca oil, chrism, civet, cold cream, collyrium, corrective,
     cream, cure, demulcent, drops, drug, electuary, elixir,
     embrocation, emollient, essence, essential oil, ethical drug,
     extract, eye-lotion, eyewash, eyewater, face cream, fixative,
     generic name, hand lotion, healing agent, healing quality,
     heliotrope, help, herbs, inhalant, inunction, inunctum,
     jasmine oil, lanolin, lavender oil, lenitive, lincture, linctus,
     liniment, lotion, materia medica, medicament, medication,
     medicinal, medicinal herbs, medicine, mixture, musk, myrcia oil,
     myrrh, nard, nonprescription drug, officinal, oil, ointment,
     parfum, patent medicine, perfume, perfumery, pharmacon, physic,
     pomade, pomatum, powder, preparation, prescription,
     prescription drug, proprietary, proprietary medicine,
     proprietary name, receipt, recipe, relief, remedial measure,
     remedy, restorative, rose oil, salve, scent, simples,
     soothing syrup, sovereign remedy, specific, specific remedy,
     spikenard, succor, syrup, theraputant, tisane, unction, unguent,
     unguentum, vegetable remedies, volatile oil, vulnerary