a. and sb. [f. Gr. βάλσαμ-ον BALSAM + -IC.] A. adj.

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  1.  Of the nature of, or yielding, balsam.

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1676.  Grew, Anat. Flowers, II. ii. § 10. A Gummy or Balsamick Juyce.

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a. 1711.  Ken, Hymnotheo, Wks. 1721, III. 228. Gilead, on whose od’rous Top, Balsamick Gums, like liquid Amber, drop.

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1805.  Edin. Rev., VI. 411. Some balsamic pine.

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  2.  Having the delicate aromatic fragrance of balsam; deliciously fragrant, balmy.

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1714.  Steele, Solomon’s Song. Breathes thro’ the Air a soft Balsamic Scent.

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1873.  Longf., Monk. Casal. Mag., xxiii. The sweet Balsamic exhalations of the pine.

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  3.  Having the healing properties of balsam; soothing, restorative, health-giving.

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1605.  Timme, Quersit., I. xi. 48. The uniuersall balsamick medicine.

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1717.  Lady Montagu, Lett., 47, II. 39. Very balsamic for disordered heads.

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1793.  T. Beddoes, Lett. Darwin, 72. The supposition that the sweet breath of the cow is healing and balsamic.

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1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 479. The balsamic virtues of the royal hand.

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  4.  Of, pertaining to, or full of, the subtle healthful influence or ‘radical balsam’ conceived of by alchemists; cf. BALSAM sb. 4.

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1644.  Digby, Nat. Bodies, xxiii. § 8. 212. With three sortes of riuers or brookes, to runne through him … the one of a gentle balsamike oyle.

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1686.  Goad, Celest. Bodies, II. ix. 284. The proper Preservative, some would call it the Balsamick Spirit, of the Fruit is dislodged by the Cold.

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1733.  Cheyne, Eng. Malady, II. i. § 2. 113. To make the Iuices [of the Body] soft, sweet, and balsamick.

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  5.  fig. Soothing, healing, gently restorative, balmy.

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1667.  Decay Chr. Piety, xvii. § 15. 357. Nor are those wounds ever like to close, till our zeal grow more balsamick.

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1752.  Johnson, Rambl., No. 202, ¶ 3. Sleep that sheds his balsamick anodynes only on the cottage.

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1870.  Delitzsch, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. c. 3. Balsamic consolation.

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  6.  Intended to hold balsam.

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1818.  J. Hobhouse, Hist. Illustr., 557. The little balsamic vase called ‘Lecythus,’ an unknown utensil of clay.

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  B.  sb. A soothing or healing medicine or application. Cf. BALM sb. 5, BALSAM sb. 2.

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1713.  Lond. & Country Brew., I. (1742), 68. Harvest-Men … stand most in Need of the greatest Balsamics.

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1756.  Nugent, Gr. Tour, II. 423. This herb is reckoned such a sovereign balsamic, as to cure wounds almost with a touch.

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1881.  Philadelphia Record, No. 3443. 3. This balsamic had been brought before the Therapeutical Society.

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