galbanum
(ˈgælbənəm)
[a. L. galbanum = Gr. χαλβάνη; prob. repr. an Oriental word etymologically identical with Heb. ḥelb⊇nāh (? f. root ḥālab to be fat), which the LXX. and Vulg. render by these words.]
1. A gum resin obtained from certain Persian species of Ferula, esp. from F. galbaniflua and F. rubricaulis.
| 1382 Wyclif Exod. xxx. 34 Stacten, and onycha, galbanum [printed galbantum] of good smel, and essence most liȝtynge. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. lxxvii. (1495) 651 Galbanus is an herbe and the juys therof hyghte Galbanum. c 1450 M.E. Med. Bk. (Heinrich) 82 Take..1 quarter of gomme galbanum. c 1575 Perf. Bk. Kepinge Sparhawkes (Harting 1886) 31 To drawe ought any swellinge take a lytle galbanum. 1691 J. Wilson Belphegor v. ii, I'll have ye burnt in effigy, with brimstone, galbanum, aristolochia, hypericon, and rue. 1789 W. Buchan Dom. Med. (1790) 689 Gum ammoniac and galbanum, strained, of each half a pound. 1851–9 Hooker in Man. Sci. Enq. 424 Galbanum is said to be imported into Russia in large quantities by way of Astrachan. 1855 Singleton Virgil I. 171 With the fume of galbanum To chase the fell chelydri. |
2. fig. after French usage: Empty protestations or representations, bosh, humbug.
| 1764 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) IV. 210 Give them a good deal of Galbanum in the first part of your letter. 1838 Haliburton Clockm. Ser. ii. xii, How his weak eye would have sarved him a' utterin' of this galbanum, wouldn't it? |
3. attrib. and Comb., as galbanum-pill; galbanum-yielding adj.
| 1803 Med. Jrnl. X. 50 Two compound galbanum pills were given every four hours. 1876 Harley Mat. Med. (ed. 6) 599 Galbanum-yielding Plants grow plentifully on the slopes of the Mountain ranges of Northern Persia. |