/ hiːl; NAmE / verb
1.
heal (up) to become healthy again; to make sth healthy again :
[ v ]
It took a long time for the wounds to heal.
The cut healed up without leaving a scar.
[ vn ]
This will help to heal your cuts and scratches.
( figurative )
It was a chance to heal the wounds in the party (= to repair the damage that had been done) .
2.
[ vn ] heal sb (of sth) ( old use or formal ) to cure sb who is ill / sick; to make sb feel happy again :
the story of Jesus healing ten lepers of their disease
I felt healed by his love.
3.
to put an end to sth or make sth easier to bear; to end or become easier to bear :
[ vn ]
She was never able to heal the rift between herself and her father.
[ v ]
The breach between them never really healed.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English hǣlan (in the sense restore to sound health ), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch heelen and German heilen , also to whole .