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Webster 1913 Edition

Ferment

Fer′ment

,
Noun.
[L.
fermentum
ferment (in senses 1 & 2), perh. for
fervimentum
, fr.
fervere
to be boiling hot, boil, ferment: cf. F.
ferment
. Cf. 1st
Barm
,
Fervent
.]
1.
That which causes fermentation, as yeast, barm, or fermenting beer.
2.
Intestine motion; heat; tumult; agitation.
Subdue and cool the
ferment
of desire.
Rogers.
the nation is in a
ferment
.
Walpole.
3.
A gentle internal motion of the constituent parts of a fluid; fermentation.
[R.]
Down to the lowest lees the
ferment
ran.
Thomson.
ferment oils
,
volatile oils produced by the fermentation of plants, and not originally contained in them. These were the quintessences of the alchemists.
Ure.

Fer-ment′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Fermented
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Fermenting
.]
[L.
fermentare
,
fermentatum
: cf. F.
fermenter
. See
Ferment
,
Noun.
]
To cause ferment or fermentation in; to set in motion; to excite internal emotion in; to heat.
Ye vigorous swains! while youth
ferments
your blood.
Pope.

Fer-ment′

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To undergo fermentation; to be in motion, or to be excited into sensible internal motion, as the constituent particles of an animal or vegetable fluid; to work; to effervesce.
2.
To be agitated or excited by violent emotions.
But finding no redress,
ferment
and rage.
Milton.
The intellect of the age was a
fermenting
intellect.
De Quincey.

Webster 1828 Edition

Ferment

FER'MENT

,
Noun.
[L. fermentum, from fervo, to boil. See Fervent.]
1.
A gentle boiling; or the internal motion of the constituent parts of a fluid.
[In this sense it is rarely used. See Fermentation.]
2.
Intestine motion; heat; tumult; agitation; as, to put the passions in a ferment; the state of people are in a ferment.
Subdue and cool the ferment of desire.
3.
That which causes fermentation, as yeast, barm, or fermenting beer.

Definition 2024

ferment

ferment

English

Verb

ferment ‎(third-person singular simple present ferments, present participle fermenting, simple past and past participle fermented)

  1. To react, using fermentation; especially to produce alcohol by aging or by allowing yeast to act on sugars; to brew.
  2. To stir up, agitate, cause unrest or excitement in.
    • Alexander Pope
      Ye vigorous swains! while youth ferments your blood.

Translations

Noun

ferment ‎(plural ferments)

  1. Something, such as a yeast or barm, that causes fermentation.
  2. A state of agitation or of turbulent change.
    • Rogers
      Subdue and cool the ferment of desire.
    • Walpole
      The nation is in a ferment.
  3. A gentle internal motion of the constituent parts of a fluid; fermentation.
    • Thomson
      Down to the lowest lees the ferment ran.
  4. A catalyst.

Quotations

state of agitation
  • 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.

Translations

See also

References

Anagrams

French

Verb

ferment

  1. third-person plural present indicative of fermer
  2. third-person plural present subjunctive of fermer

Etymology

From Middle French ferment, from Latin fermentare ‎(“to leaven, ferment”), from fermentum ‎(“substance causing fermentation”), from fervere ‎(“to boil, seethe”). See also fervent.

Pronunciation

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