heal

heal [hi:l] v [I and T]

[: Old English; Origin: hAlan]

1.) also heal up

if a wound or a broken bone heals or is healed, the flesh, skin, or bone grows back together and becomes healthy again

▪ It took three months for my arm to heal properly.

2.) to make someone who is ill become healthy again, especially by using natural powers or prayer

→↑cure

▪ a preacher who claims that he can heal the sick

3.) to become mentally or emotionally strong again after a bad experience, or to help someone to do this

▪ Ann says the only way to heal after rape is to talk about it.

▪ The trauma of divorce can often be healed by successful remarriage.

4.) if an argument or disagreement between people heals or you heal it, the people stop arguing or disagreeing

heal the wounds/breach/division/rift

▪ Our main goal must be to heal the divisions in our society.

▪ The rift between the two younger men never healed.

heal over phr v

if a wound or an area of broken skin heals over, new skin grows over it and it becomes healthy again