Heal

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːl

From Middle English helen, hilen, from Old English helan ("to conceal, cover, hide"), from Proto-Germanic *helaną ("to hide, stash"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- ("to hide, conceal"). Cognate with Scots heal ("to cover, hide, conceal, keep secret"), Dutch helen ("to conceal"), German hehlen ("to conceal"), Latin cēlō ("conceal"). Related to hole, hull.

Alternative forms

• hele, heel
• heil Scotland

Full definition of heal

Verb

1. (transitive, obsolete or dialectal) To hide; conceal; keep secret.
2. (transitive) To cover, as for protection.

From Middle English helen, from Old English hǣlan ("to heal, cure, save, greet, salute"), from Proto-Germanic *hailijaną ("to heal, make whole, save"), from Proto-Indo-European *koil- ("safe, unharmed"). Cognate with Scots hale, hail ("to heal"), Eastern Frisian heila, heilen ("to heal"), West Frisian hielje, Dutch helen ("to heal"), German heilen ("to heal"), Danish hele, Swedish hela ("to heal"). More at whole.

Verb

1. (transitive) To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.This bandage will heal your cut.
• Bible, Matthew viii. 8Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
2. (intransitive) To become better.Bandages allow cuts to heal.
3. To reconcile, as a breach or difference; to make whole; to free from guilt.to heal dissensions

Synonyms

• (make better) cure, make whole
• (become better) get better, recover

Derived terms

Noun

1. (obsolete) health

Anagrams

• hale, Hale
• Leah