poultice
/'poultis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A soft, moist, and often heated mass of a substance such as herbs, clay, or meal, spread on a cloth and applied to a part of the body to relieve soreness, inflammation, or infection.
Verb:
- To apply a poultice to a part of the body as a medical treatment.
Usage
- As a Noun: The word "poultice" refers to the dressing or preparation itself.
- As a Verb: The word "poultice" describes the action of applying such a dressing.
Examples
- Noun:
- The herbalist recommended a warm poultice of mustard seed to draw out the infection.
- A simple bread poultice can soothe a minor boil.
- Verb:
- The healer poulticed the swollen ankle with a mixture of comfrey and clay.
- It is common to poultice a horse's leg to reduce inflammation.
Advanced Usage
- "To apply a poultice": This is a common collocation that emphasizes the action of putting the poultice on the skin.
- The instructions were to apply the poultice and leave it on for twenty minutes.
- "A drawing poultice": A specific type of poultice intended to pull pus or toxins from a wound.
- A drawing poultice of activated charcoal can be effective for insect bites.
Variants and Related Words
- Cataplasm (n): A formal or technical synonym for "poultice."
- Fomentation (n): Often used interchangeably with "poultice," though it can more specifically refer to a warm, moist application.
- Dressing (n): A general term for any material applied to a wound; a poultice is a type of dressing.
- Compress (n): A pad of cloth applied with pressure, often cold or hot; similar in application but usually simpler in composition than a poultice.
Synonyms
- Noun: Plaster, cataplasm, fomentation, dressing.
- Verb: Dress, apply a dressing, foment.
Phrasal Verbs / Common Phrases
- "To poultice up": An informal phrasal verb meaning to apply a poultice.
- After the thorn prick, she poulticed up the wound with some plantain leaves.
Related Idioms
- "Like a poultice": Used figuratively to describe something that is soothing, calming, or draws out negativity. This is an uncommon, somewhat archaic idiom.
- His kind words acted like a poultice on her troubled mind.
Noun
- a medical dressing consisting of a soft heated mass of meal or clay that is spread on a cloth and applied to the skin to treat inflamed areas or improve circulation etc.
Verb
- dress by covering with a therapeutic substance