salve

¹ American  

[sav, sahv] / sæv, sɑv /

noun

1. a medicinal ointment for healing or relieving wounds and sores.

2. anything that soothes, mollifies, or relieves.

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verb (used with object)

salved, salving

1. to soothe with or as if with salve; assuage.

   to salve one's conscience.

   Synonyms:

   mollify, alleviate, ease

salve ² American  

[salv] / sælv /

verb (used with or without object)

salved, salving

1. to save from loss or destruction; to salvage.

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salve ³ American  

[sal-vee, sahl-wey] / ˈsæl vi, ˈsɑl weɪ /

interjection

1. hail!

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salve ¹ British  

/ sælv, sɑːv /

noun

1. an ointment for wounds, sores, etc

2. anything that heals or soothes

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verb

1. to apply salve to (a wound, sore, etc)

2. to soothe, comfort, or appease

salve ² British  

/ sælv /

verb

1. a less common word for salvage

2. an archaic word for save 1

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Etymology

Origin of salve¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun salve, salwe, salf(e), Old English sealf, salf; cognate with German Salbe “ointment, salve,” Sanskrit sarpís “melted butter, fat”; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of salve²

First recorded in 1700–10; back formation from salvage

Origin of salve³

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin salvē! literally, “be in good health!”; salute

Example Sentences

Mama and I were back in the house and I was rubbing some Raleigh salve on my henpecked hands when I thought of my little sister.

From Literature

But it can feel like a salve to the lover girl part of your soul, if you let it.

From Los Angeles Times

"Is this stuff good for any animal?" he asked as his father smeared the salve on his scratches.

From Literature

It can sometimes feel like a blanket against the cold, a salve against a wound.

From Literature

I hope he doesn’t mind the smell of my medicinal salve.

From Literature

Related Words

• alleviate
• assuage
• mollify
• pacify
• unburden