noun
salve
sahv
noun
1
A soothing or healing ointment applied to the skin.
"She rubbed salve into the burn to ease the pain."
verb
1
To soothe or ease something, especially a troubled conscience or feeling.
"He bought her flowers to salve his guilty conscience."
How to Use Salve
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA healing cream, or figuratively, something that eases a bad feeling like guilt.
Common pairings
lip salve
salve a wound
salve one's conscience
Word Forms
salved past tense, salved past tense, salved past tense, salves plural, salves singular, salves singular, salves singular
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Etymology
From Old English sealf, "ointment," tracing back to a very old root meaning "to smear."