★ Key Takeaways
Balmy (Adj.) Figurative Use for "Soft and Soothing" Dates from C. 1600; of Breezes, Air, Etc. "Mild, Fragrant" (Combining Both Earlier Senses) It Is First Attested 1704. Meaning "Weak-Minded, Idiotic," 1851, Is from London Slang, Perhaps by Confusion with Barmy.
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Balmy (Adj.) Figurative Use for "Soft and Soothing" Dates from C. 1600; of Breezes, Air, Etc. "Mild, Fragrant" (Combining Both Earlier Senses) It Is First Attested 1704. Meaning "Weak-Minded, Idiotic," 1851, Is from London Slang, Perhaps by Confusion with Barmy.
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