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Definition of "embalm" [em•balm]

  • To treat (a corpse) with preservatives in order to prevent decay. (verb-transitive)
  • To protect from change or oblivion; preserve or fix: "A precedent embalms a principle” ( Benjamin Disraeli). (verb-transitive)
  • To impart fragrance to; perfume: Spicy aromas embalmed the air. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "embalm" in a sentence
  • "With all the talk about health care reform, no one has yet to point a finger at the food industry which has created snacks and foods so full of preservatives and chemicals and sugars that you can self embalm before you die."
  • "I was so rudely interrupted, the one thing only that can balm and embalm this savage breast is the ‘Maiden’s"
  • "Squeeze the blood out of the hand; embalm it in a shroud and steep it in a solution of saltpetre, salt and pepper for two weeks and then dry in the sun."