healing

[hee-ling] /ˈhi lɪŋ/
adjective
1.
curing or curative; prescribed or helping to heal.
2.
growing sound; getting well; mending.
noun
3.
the act or process of regaining health:
a new drug to accelerate healing.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English heelyng (adj.), helynge (noun), Old English hǣlinge (noun). See heal, -ing2, -ing1
Related forms
healingly, adverb
self-healing, adjective
unhealing, adjective

heal

[heel] /hil/
verb (used with object)
1.
to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment.
2.
to bring to an end or conclusion, as conflicts between people or groups, usually with the strong implication of restoring former amity; settle; reconcile:
They tried to heal the rift between them but were unsuccessful.
3.
to free from evil; cleanse; purify:
to heal the soul.
verb (used without object)
4.
to effect a cure.
5.
(of a wound, broken bone, etc.) to become whole or sound; mend; get well (often followed by up or over).
Origin
before 900; Middle English helen, Old English hǣlan (cognate with Dutch helen, German heilen, Old Norse heila, Gothic hailjan), derivative of hāl hale1, whole
Related forms
healable, adjective
half-healed, adjective
preheal, verb (used with object)
unhealable, adjective
unhealed, adjective
well-healed, adjective
Can be confused
heal, heel, he'll.
Synonyms
1. See cure. 2. compose, soothe. 3. purge, disinfect.
Antonyms
1, 2. irritate. 3. soil, infect.
Examples from the web for healing
  • In a land of healing miracles, neighbors must not suffer and die unattended.
  • Genuine simplicity of heart is a healing and cementing principle.
  • As long as healing is not complete the pus of the abscesses contains the microscopic organism which produced them.
  • Mineral pools on the lake are purported to have healing properties because of their high sulphur content.
  • When a wound is healing, cell division must be sped up.
  • They want to be doctors, but they do not care about healing people.
  • When head scratching is involved, a dandruff shampoo may aid healing.
  • healing consumes a lot of physical and mental resources.
  • Wear a damned ugly shoe for a few months if it means permanent healing.
  • Aloe has been used for centuries as a natural soothing and healing treatment for burned skin.
British Dictionary definitions for healing

heal

/hiːl/
verb
1.
to restore or be restored to health
2.
(intransitive; often foll by over or up) (of a wound, burn, etc) to repair by natural processes, as by scar formation
3.
(transitive)
  1. to treat (a wound, etc) by assisting in its natural repair
  2. to cure (a disease or disorder)
4.
to restore or be restored to friendly relations, harmony, etc
Derived Forms
healable, adjective
healer, noun
healing, noun, adjective
Word Origin
Old English hælan; related to Old Norse heila, Gothic hailjan, Old High German heilen; see hale1, whole
Word Origin and History for healing
n.

"restoration to health," Old English hæling; see heal. Figurative sense of "restoration of wholeness" is from early 13c.; meaning "touch that cures" is from 1670s.

heal

v.

Old English hælan "cure; save; make whole, sound and well," from Proto-Germanic *hailjan (cf. Old Saxon helian, Old Norse heila, Old Frisian hela, Dutch helen, German heilen, Gothic ga-hailjan "to heal, cure"), literally "to make whole" (see health). Related: Healed; healing.

healing in Medicine

heal (hēl)
v. healed, heal·ing, heals

  1. To restore to health or soundness; cure.

  2. To become well; return to sound health.