ointment
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Wikipedia.
ointment
1. a fatty or oily medicated formulation applied to the skin to heal or protect
2. a similar substance used as a cosmetic
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Ointment
a medication for external use consisting of a base like lanolin or vaseline and a medically active substance.
If the base of an ointment contains more than 25 percent dry powder, the result is paste. Liquid ointments are called liniments. The medical substances in ointments are absorbed by the skin and can exert both a local and a general effect on the body. Ointments containing irritants can produce a systemic effect by reflex reaction.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
What does it mean when you dream about ointment?
Ointment in a dream may symbolize the need for a salve to soothe or heal a condition in the dreamer’s life.
The Dream Encyclopedia, Second Edition © 2009 Visible Ink Press®. All rights reserved.
ointment
[′ȯint·mənt] (pharmacology)
A semisolid preparation used for a protective and emollient effect or as a vehicle for the local or endermic administration of medicaments; ointment bases are composed of various mixtures of fats, waxes, animal and vegetable oils, and solid and liquid hydrocarbons.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.