horse balm
- noun
- US
:
bálsamo de caballo
- Gardeners often plant horse balm for its aromatic leaves and yellow flowers.
Examples
-
The woods were filled with the distinct fragrance of horse balm in late spring.
-
After the rain, a patch of horse balm brightened the shaded edge of the trail.
-
The horse balm has a strong scent.
-
I bought some horse balm for my garden.
-
Gardeners often plant horse balm for its aromatic leaves and yellow flowers.
-
After the rain, a patch of horse balm brightened the shaded edge of the trail.
-
The woods were filled with the distinct fragrance of horse balm in late spring.
Synonyms
A forest plant with strong-smelling leaves and yellow flowers
A strong-smelling plant with pointed serrated leaves and loose clusters of yellow flowers
A strong-smelling upright plant with toothed leaves and yellow flowers
A plant that lives for several years with toothed pointed leaves and loose groups of yellow flowers
A plant in the mint family that lives for many years and has toothed leaves and yellow flowers
How Scented
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although 'balm' suggests an ointment or aromatic herb and 'horse' appears to modify it, a B1 learner would likely infer 'a balm for horses' or a strongly scented plant associated with horses rather than automatically recognizing a specific perennial herb species. The compound is partially compositional but the exact referent and why 'horse' qualifies 'balm' are not fully predictable from the parts, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Horse balm may get its name from farmers who used the plant's strong-smelling leaves as a soothing 'balm' for tired or sore horses. That's why the name joins horse and balm and now refers to the aromatic herb.