בָּסֵם, בָּשֵׂם (√בס, בש, cmp. בָּשַׁל, to boil, ripen, be warm, ferment) to be sweet, pleasant, pleasing. Lam. R. to I, 9 יערב לך ויִבְסַם לך may (the sacrifice) be sweet unto thee (Moloch), may it be pleasing unto thee. Gen. R. s. 85 יערב לכם יבושם וכ׳ (Yalk. Gen. 144, Josh. 35 יבסם) may (the wine you drank) be sweet to you, may it well agree with you.—Denom. בּוֹסֶם.
Pi. - בִּסֵּם, בִּיסֵּם, , בִּישֵּׂם to make a person look well, esp. (denom. of בּוֹסֶם) to perfume with oil &c. Ex. R. s. 23 a bride מקשטין אותה ומְבַסְּמִין אותה is adorned and made handsome (her toilet is attended to).—Part. pass. מְבוּסָּם, f. מְבוּסֶּמֶת, מְבוּשּׂ׳ perfumed, sweet &c. Num. R. s. 20 מקושטת ומב׳ in full toilet. Tosef. Ber. VI (V), 5 it is not becoming for a scholar שיצא מבוסם to go out with perfumed oil on his head; Ber. 43ᵇ מבוש׳. B. Bath. VI, 3 יין מב׳ sweet wine (guaranteed as not sour). [Pesik. R. s. 21 בישם העולם; Ruth. R. beg. ביסם, read בִּיסֵּס, v. בָּסַס.]
Hithpa. - הִתְבַּסֵּם, הִתְבַּשֵּׂ׳ ; Nithpa. נִתְבַּסֵּם, נִתְבַּשֵּׂ׳ 1) to perfume one’s self with oil &c. Gen. R. s. 17. &c. Gen. R. s. 17. —2) to become exhilarated, to feel the wine. Koh. R. to XI, 9 אכל ושתה ונת׳ he ate and drank and felt well. —3) trnsf. to grow better, improve. Gen. R. s. 67, end נִתְבַּסְּמָה דעתו עליו his character grew better (play on בשמת Gen. XXVI, 34).—[Gen. R. s. 66 נתבשם העולם, v. בָּסַס.]