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salve

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salve

1[sav, sahv] noun, verb, salved, salv⋅ing.
–noun
1. a medicinal ointment for healing or relieving wounds and sores.
2. anything that soothes, mollifies, or relieves.
–verb (used with object)
3. to soothe with or as if with salve; assuage: to salve one's conscience.

Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE sealf; c. G Salbe salve, Skt sarpis melted butter; (v.) ME salven, OE sealfian


3. ease, alleviate, mollify.

salve

2[salv]
–verb (used without object), verb (used with object), salved, salv⋅ing.
to save from loss or destruction; to salvage.

Origin:
1700–10; back formation from salvage

sal⋅ve

3[sal-vee; Lat. sahl-wey]
–interjection
hail!

Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L salvē! lit., be in good health!; cf. salute
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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salve 1   (sāv, säv)   
n.  
  1. An analgesic or medicinal ointment.

  2. Something that soothes or heals; a balm.

  3. Flattery or commendation.

tr.v.   salved, salv·ing, salves
  1. To soothe or heal with or as if with salve.

  2. To ease the distress or agitation of; assuage: salved my conscience by apologizing.


[Middle English, from Old English sealf.]
salve 2   (sālv)   
tr.v.   salved, salv·ing, salves
To salvage.

[Back-formation from salvage or salvable.]
sal'vor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

salve  (n.)
O.E. sealf "healing ointment," from W.Gmc. *salbo- "oily substance" (cf. O.S. salba, M.Du. salve, Du. zalf, O.H.G. salba, Ger. salbe "ointment"), from PIE *solpa-, from base *selp- "fat, butter" (cf. Gk. elpos "fat, oil," Skt. sarpis "melted butter"). The figurative sense of "something to soothe wounded pride, etc." is from 1736. The verb is O.E. sealfian "anoint (a wound) with salve," from P.Gmc. *salbojanan (cf. Du. zalven, Ger. salben, Goth. salbon "to anoint").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: salve
Pronunciation: 'sav, 'säv, 'sov, 'salv, 'sälv
Function: noun
: an unctuous adhesive substance for application to wounds or sores
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

salve (sāv, säv)
n.
An analgesic or medicinal ointment.


salve v.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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