balm /ˈbɑm, ˈbɑlm/ 名詞
 香膠, 香油, 香膏


 Balm n.
 1. Bot. An aromatic plant of the genus Melissa.
 2. The resinous and aromatic exudation of certain trees or shrubs.
 3. Any fragrant ointment.
 4. Anything that heals or that mitigates pain. “Balm for each ill.”
 Balm cricket Zool., the European cicada. --Tennyson.
 Balm of Gilead Bot., a small evergreen African and Asiatic tree of the terebinthine family (Balsamodendron Gileadense). Its leaves yield, when bruised, a strong aromatic scent; and from this tree is obtained the balm of Gilead of the shops, or balsam of Mecca. This has a yellowish or greenish color, a warm, bitterish, aromatic taste, and a fragrant smell. It is valued as an unguent and cosmetic by the Turks. The fragrant herb Dracocephalum Canariense is familiarly called balm of Gilead, and so are the American trees, Populus balsamifera, variety candicans (balsam poplar), and Abies balsamea (balsam fir).


 Balm, v. t. To anoint with balm, or with anything medicinal. Hence: To soothe; to mitigate. [Archaic]

 ◄ ►


 balm
      n 1: any of various aromatic resinous substances used for healing
           and soothing
      2: semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine)
         applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an
         irritation [syn: ointment, unction, unguent, salve]


 Balm
    contracted from Bal'sam, a general name for many oily or
    resinous substances which flow or trickle from certain trees or
    plants when an incision is made through the bark.

      (1.) This word occurs in the Authorized Version (Gen. 37:25;
    43:11; Jer. 8:22; 46:11; 51:8; Ezek. 27:17) as the rendering of
    the Hebrew word _tsori_ or _tseri_, which denotes the gum of a
    tree growing in Gilead (q.v.), which is very precious. It was
    celebrated for its medicinal qualities, and was circulated as an
    article of merchandise by Arab and Phoenician merchants. The
    shrub so named was highly valued, and was almost peculiar to
    Palestine. In the time of Josephus it was cultivated in the
    neighbourhood of Jericho and the Dead Sea. There is an Arab
    tradition that the tree yielding this balm was brought by the
    queen of Sheba as a present to Solomon, and that he planted it
    in his gardens at Jericho.

      (2.) There is another Hebrew word, _basam_ or _bosem_, from
    which our word "balsam," as well as the corresponding Greek
    balsamon, is derived. It is rendered "spice" (Cant. 5:1, 13;
    6:2; margin of Revised Version, "balsam;" Ex. 35:28; 1 Kings
    10:10), and denotes fragrance in general. _Basam_ also denotes
    the true balsam-plant, a native of South Arabia (Cant. l.c.).