Definition of 'heal'

heal

(hiːl )

Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense heals , present participle healing , past tense, past participle healed

1. verb

When a broken bone or other injury heals or when something heals it, it becomes healthy and normal again.

Within six weeks the bruising had gone, but it was six months before it all healed. [VERB]

If they'd operated and pinned her arm at once, she might have healed by now. [VERB]

No doctor has ever healed a broken bone: he or she sets them. [VERB noun]

Therapies like acupuncture do work and many people have been healed by them. [be VERB-ed]

Synonyms: mend, get better, get well, regenerate More Synonyms of heal

2. ergative verb

When someone's emotional pain heals, they feel normal and happy again.

A year later, she had healed to the point of at least being able to consider a romantic relationship. [VERB]

Only by fully experiencing the depth of our pain can we be healed from it and be done with it. [be V-ed from n]

[Also VERB noun]

3. verb

If you heal something such as a rift or a wound, or if it heals, the situation is put right so that people are friendly or happy again.

Today Sophie and her sister have healed the family rift and visit their family every weekend. [VERB noun]

The psychological effects on the United States were immense and in Washington the wounds have still not fully healed. [VERB]

Synonyms: patch up, settle, reconcile, put right More Synonyms of heal

Phrasal verbs:

See heal up

More Synonyms of heal

Video: pronunciation of
heal

heal in British English

(hiːl )

verb

to restore or be restored to health

2. (intr; often foll by over or up)

(of a wound, burn, etc) to repair by natural processes, as by scar formation

3. (transitive)

to treat (a wound, etc) by assisting in its natural repair

to cure (a disease or disorder)

to restore or be restored to friendly relations, harmony, etc

Derived forms

healable (ˈhealable)

adjective

healer (ˈhealer)

noun

healing (ˈhealing)

noun, adjective

Word origin

Old English hælan; related to Old Norse heila, Gothic hailjan, Old High German heilen; see hale1, whole

heal in American English

(hil )

verb transitive

to make sound, well, or healthy again; restore to health

heal the sick

to cure or get rid of (a disease)

to cause (a wound, sore, etc.) to become closed or scarred so as to restore a healthy condition

to free from grief, troubles, evil, etc.

to remedy or get rid of (grief, troubles, etc.)

to make up (a breach, differences, etc.); reconcile

verb intransitive

to become well or healthy again; be cured

to become closed or scarred

said of a wound

SIMILAR WORDS: cure

Word origin

ME helen < OE hælan (akin to Ger heilen) < base of hal, sound, healthy: see hale1, whole

heal in American English

(hil)

transitive verb

to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment

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

to free from evil; cleanse; purify

to heal the soul

intransitive verb

to effect a cure

5. (of a wound, broken bone, etc.) (often fol. by up or over)

to become whole or sound; mend; get well

Derived forms

healable

adjective

Word origin

[bef. 900; ME helen, OE hǣlan (c. D helen, G heilen, ON heila, Goth hailjan), deriv. of hāl hale1, whole]

Examples of 'heal' in a sentence
heal

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

This presidentelect says he wants to heal the wounds of a divided nation.It is time to rally and help them heal hidden wounds.It is possible that a lack of rest did not allow the injury to heal completely.It strikes when the immune system goes into overdrive trying to heal injury or infection - and can be deadly.Time will, to some extent, heal these wounds.Most bruises do, of course, heal without a scar.Family Lives will help put you in the right frame of mind to heal the rift (familylives.We seek to restore and heal a nation.That injury is healing and he is gradually getting better.The problem is that denial is no way to heal pain.