ferment
English
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle French ferment, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin fermentare (“to leaven, ferment”), from fermentum (“substance causing fermentation”), from fervere (“to boil, seethe”). See also fervent.
Pronunciation
- (verb):
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL. IPA(key): /fəˈmɛnt/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL. IPA(key): /fɚˈmɛnt/
- (noun):
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL. IPA(key): /ˈfɜːmɛnt/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL. IPA(key): /ˈfɝmɛnt/
Verb
ferment (third-person singular simple present ferments, present participle fermenting, simple past and past participle fermented)
- To react, using fermentation; especially to produce alcohol by aging or by allowing yeast to act on sugars; to brew.
- To stir up, agitate, cause unrest or excitement in.
- (Can we date this quote by Alexander Pope and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- Ye vigorous swains! while youth ferments your blood.
- 1730, James Thomson, “Autumn. Inscribed to the Right Honourable Arthur Onslow, Esq; Speaker of the House of Commons.”, in The Seasons, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 165, lines 10–14:
- Pleas'd have I wander'd thro' your rough domain; / Trod the pure virgin-ſnows, myſelf as pure; / Heard the winds roar, and the big torrent burſt; / Or ſeen the deep fermenting tempeſt brew'd, / In the grim evening ſky.
- (Can we date this quote by Alexander Pope and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
Translations
to react using fermentation
|
to cause unrest
|
Noun
ferment (plural ferments)
- Something, such as a yeast or barm, that causes fermentation.
- A state of agitation or of turbulent change.
- (Can we date this quote by Rogers and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- Subdue and cool the ferment of desire.
- (Can we date this quote by Walpole and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- The nation is in a ferment.
- 1919, Ronald Firbank, Valmouth, Duckworth, hardback edition, page 104
- Clad in a Persian-Renaissance gown and a widow's tiara of white batiste, Mrs Thoroughfare, in all the ferment of a Marriage-Christening, left her chamber on vapoury autumn day and descending a few stairs, and climbing a few others, knocked a trifle brusquely at her son's wife's door.
- (Can we date this quote by Rogers and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- A gentle internal motion of the constituent parts of a fluid; fermentation.
- (Can we date this quote by Thomson and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- Down to the lowest lees the ferment ran.
- (Can we date this quote by Thomson and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- A catalyst.
Translations
substance causing fermentation
|
state of agitation
|
gentle internal movement
|
catalyst
|
See also
References
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “ferment”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- “ferment”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- Fermentation on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Anagrams
French
Verb
ferment
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- Requests for date/Alexander Pope
- English terms with quotations
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- Requests for date/Rogers
- Requests for date/Walpole
- Requests for date/Thomson
- en:Biochemistry
- en:Chemistry
- French non-lemma forms
- French verb forms