1
- an ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection（治皮肤病或保护皮肤的）药膏, 油膏, 软膏。
1.1
- figurative something that is soothing or consoling for wounded feelings or an uneasy conscience〈喻〉缓解物; 安慰（物）; 慰藉：
the idea provided him with a salve for his guilt.
这种想法使他缓解了负罪感。
with obj.
1- archaic apply salve to〈古〉敷药膏于。
1.1
- figurative soothe (wounded pride or one's conscience)〈喻〉使（受伤的自尊心, 良知）得到安慰, 宽慰：
charity salves our conscience.
做善事使我们的良心得到安慰。
词源
Old English sealfe (noun), sealfian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zalf and German Salbe.