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Webster 1913 Edition

Foment

Fo-ment′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Fomented
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Fomenting
.]
[F.
fomenter
, fr. L.
fomentare
, fr.
fomentum
(for
fovimentum
) a warm application or lotion, fr.
fovere
to warm or keep warm; perh. akin to Gr. [GREEK] to roast, and E.
bake
.]
1.
To apply a warm lotion to; to bathe with a cloth or sponge wet with warm water or medicated liquid.
2.
To cherish with heat; to foster.
[Obs.]
Which these soft fires . . .
foment
and warm.
Milton.
3.
To nurse to life or activity; to cherish and promote by excitements; to encourage; to abet; to instigate; – used often in a bad sense;
as, to
foment
ill humors
.
Locke.
But quench the choler you
foment
in vain.
Dryden.
Exciting and
fomenting
a religious rebellion.
Southey.

Webster 1828 Edition

Foment

FOMENT'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. fomento, from foveo, to warm.]
1.
To apply warm lotions to; to bathe with warm medicated liquors, or with flannel dipped in warm water.
2.
To cherish with heat; to encourage growth. [Not usual.]
3.
To encourage; to abet; to cherish and promote by excitements; in a bad sense; as, to foment ill humors.
So we say, to foment troubles or disturbances; to foment intestine broils.

Definition 2024

foment

foment

English

Verb

foment ‎(third-person singular simple present foments, present participle fomenting, simple past and past participle fomented)

  1. To incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.
    He was arrested for fomenting a riot; after all, it's bad enough being in a riot but starting one is much worse.
  2. (medicine) To apply a poultice to; to bathe with a cloth or sponge.
    • 1904, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Abbey Grange, Norton (2005), page 1178,
      The maid had entered with us, and began once more to foment the bruise upon her mistress's brow.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

foment ‎(plural foments)

  1. Fomentation.
    • Julian Ralph
      He came in no conciliatory mood, and the foment was kept up.

Etymology

From Old French fomenter, from Late Latin fomentare, from Latin fōmentum ‎(“lotion”), from fovere ‎(“heat, cherish”).

Pronunciation

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