Balm of Gilead

balm of Gilead
    n 1: medium-sized fir of northeastern North America; leaves
         smell of balsam when crushed; much used for pulpwood and
         Christmas trees [syn: {balsam fir}, {balm of Gilead},
         {Canada balsam}, {Abies balsamea}]
    2: a fragrant oleoresin
    3: small evergreen tree of Africa and Asia; leaves have a strong
       aromatic odor when bruised [syn: {balm of gilead},
       {Commiphora meccanensis}]
    

Opobalsam \Op`o*bal"sam\, Opobalsamum \Op`o*bal"sa*mum\, n. [L.
   opobalsamum, Gr. ?; ? vegetable juice + ? balsam.] (Med.)
   The old name of the aromatic resinous juice of the
   {Balsamodendron opobalsamum}, now commonly called {balm of
   Gilead}. See under {Balm}.
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Balm \Balm\ (b[aum]m), n. [OE. baume, OF. bausme, basme, F.
   baume, L. balsamum balsam, from Gr. ba`lsamon; perhaps of
   Semitic origin; cf. Heb. b[=a]s[=a]m. Cf. {Balsam}.]
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   1. (Bot.) An aromatic plant of the genus {Melissa}.
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   2. The resinous and aromatic exudation of certain trees or
      shrubs. --Dryden.
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   3. Any fragrant ointment. --Shak.
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   4. Anything that heals or that mitigates pain. "Balm for each
      ill." --Mrs. Hemans.
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   {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).
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