fermentn.
/ˈfəːmɛnt/, U.S. /ˈfərˌmɛnt/ 1. figurative.1643 Sir T. Browne Religio Medici (authorized ed.) i. §267 The..ferment of all..Religious actions, is Wisedome. View more context for this quotation1690 J. Locke Two Treat. Govt. ii. xix. (Rtldg.) 224 This hypothesis lays a ferment for frequent rebellion.1722 W. Wollaston Relig. of Nature ix. 173 Gentle ferments working in our breasts.1877 J. Tyndall in Daily News 2 Oct. 2/5 A ferment long confined to individuals, but which may..become the leaven of the race.† b. spec. in Alchemy (cf. fermentation n. 1b); sometimes applied to the ‘philosopher's stone’. Also in cosmological speculations (see quot. 1677).
a. originally. Leaven or yeast. Hence gen. an agent which causes fermentation (see fermentation n. 1).Modern chemists recognize two classes of ferments: organized ferments, which are living vegetable organisms, as the yeast plant and other microscopic fungi; and unorganized or chemical ferments, which are certain compounds of organic origin, as diastase, pepsin, etc. (now replaced in scientific use by enzyme).
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > substances for food preparation > [noun] > leaven or yeast
barmc1000
yeastc1000
sourdough1303
leaven1340
fermentc1420
God's good1469
quickening1573
rising1594
sizzing1594
leavening1626
kneading1638
emptying1650
yeast-cake1795
hametz1891
the mind > emotion > excitement > exciting > [noun] > one who or that which excites
fermentc1420
exciter1617
incendiary1628
electrifier1791
excitor1814
animation1817
shocker1824
hair-raiser1897
heartthrobber1903
heart-stopper1906
sizzler1942
turn-on1969
G-spot1983
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > chemical processes or reactions > [noun] > fermentation > substance producing fermentation
leavena1400
fermentc1420
c1420 Pallad. on Husb. xi. 524 Use this ferment For musty brede.
1683 T. Robinson in J. Ray Corr. (1848) 138 The venom..may chiefly consist in a subtle acid ferment.
1774 J. Bryant New Syst. II. 59 He taught the nations the use of ferment.
1807 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 17 198 Hence he concludes, that albumen..is the true ferment.
1871 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (1879) I. v. 138 Pasteur..proved the real ‘ferments’..to be organised beings.
1890 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. 57 530 The expression ferment is more frequently than not employed as the equivalent of unorganised ferment... Several words have been coined in place of unorganised ferment, notably zymase and enzyme.
1945 E. B. Ford Butterflies iii. 58 It [sc. melanin] is produced by the oxidation of..‘tyrosin’ (an amino-acid), through the action of a ferment, ‘tyrosinase’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > alchemy > alchemical processes > [noun] > chemical digestion > philosophers' stone
stone1390
minerala1393
ferment1471
egg of philosophersc1484
adropa1550
philosophical stone1581
angelical stone1586
philosophers' stone1590
philosophers' work1612
philosophic stone1647
water stone of the wise men1649
lapis1666
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > [noun] > a medicine or medicament > non-remedial medicine > elixirs of life
stone1390
philosophers' stonea1393
vegetativec1450
ferment1471
egg of philosophersc1484
vegetable stonea1500
vegetant stone1576
philosophical stone1581
elixir1605
philosophers' work1612
philosophic stone1647
water stone of the wise men1649
elixir of youth1725
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > enchantment or casting spells > [noun] > occult medicine > elixirs of life
stone1390
philosophers' stonea1393
vegetativec1450
ferment1471
egg of philosophersc1484
vegetable stonea1500
vegetant stone1576
philosophical stone1581
amphicome1601
erotylos1601
elixir1605
philosophers' work1612
philosophic stone1647
elixir of youth1725
1471 G. Ripley Compound of Alchymy ix, in E. Ashmole Theatrum Chem. Britannicum (1652) 175 Ferment whych Leven we call.
1612 B. Jonson Alchemist ii. ii. sig. D2 The red Ferment Has done his office. View more context for this quotation
a1676 M. Hale Primitive Originat. Mankind (1677) ii. vii. 193 Those Shells arise de novo, not barely from the Plastick power of the Earth..but from certain Seminal Ferments brought thither.
1677 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 12 884 By Ferments he means the aforesaid Principles, (or Seminal sparks hidden in matter) actually put into motion, and by the variety of that motion producing the variety of bodies.
2. = fermentation n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > chemical processes or reactions > [noun] > fermentation
fermentation1601
ferment1605
yeastinga1821
1605 T. Tymme tr. J. Du Chesne Pract. Chymicall & Hermeticall Physicke i. vii. 28 The more strong the wine shal be, the more sharpe the ferment of the vineger.
1695 R. Blackmore Prince Arthur ii. 37 He through the Mass a mighty Ferment spread.
1707 J. Floyer Physician's Pulse-watch 208 Abating the Ferment and Quantity of Humours.
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Quinquina Stopping the Ferment of Intermitting Fevers.
1744 G. Berkeley Siris (ESTC T72826) §111 The first ferment of new wine.
3. figurative. Agitation, excitement, tumult; = fermentation n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > excitement > nervous excitement > [noun]
fever1340
motiona1398
quotidian?a1439
rufflea1535
commotion1581
fret1582
hurry1600
puddering1603
tumultuousnessa1617
trepidation1625
feverishness1638
boilingc1660
fermentationc1660
tumult1663
ferment1672
stickle1681
fuss1705
whirl1707
flurry1710
sweat1715
fluster1728
pucker1740
flutter1741
flustration1747
flutteration1753
tremor1753
swithera1768
twitteration1775
state1781
stew1806
scrow1808
tumultuating1815
flurrification1822
tew1825
purr1842
pirr1856
tête montée1859
go1866
faff1874
poultry flutter1876
palaver1878
thirl1879
razzle-dazzle1885
nervism1887
flurry-scurry1888
fikiness1889
foment1889
dither1891
swivet1892
flusterment1895
tither1896
overwroughtness1923
mania1925
stumer1932
tizzy1935
two and eight1938
snit1939
tizz1953
tiswas1960
wahala1966
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > confusion or disorder > commotion, disturbance, or disorder > [noun]
winOE
torpelness?c1225
disturbance1297
workc1325
disturblingc1330
farec1330
frapec1330
disturbing1340
troublingc1340
blunderc1375
unresta1382
hurling1387
perturbationc1400
turbationc1400
rumblec1405
roara1413
rumourc1425
sturblance1435
troublec1435
stroublance1439
hurlc1440
hurly-burlyc1440
ruffling1440
stourc1440
rumblingc1450
sturbancec1450
unquietness?c1450
conturbationc1470
ruption1483
stir1487
wanrufe?a1505
rangat?a1513
business1514
turmoil1526
blommera1529
blunderinga1529
disturbation1529
bruyllie1535
garboil1543
bruslery1546
agitation1547
frayment1549
turmoiling1550
whirl1552
confusion1555
troublesomeness1561
rule1567
rummage1575
rabble1579
tumult1580
hurlement1585
rabblement1590
disturb1595
welter1596
coil1599
hurly1600
hurry1600
commotion1616
remotion1622
obturbation1623
stirrance1623
tumultuation1631
commoving1647
roiling1647
spudder1650
suffle1650
dissettlement1654
perturbancy1654
fermentationa1661
dissettledness1664
ferment1672
roil1690
hurry-scurry1753
vortex1761
rumpus1768
widdle1789
gilravagea1796
potheration1797
moil1824
festerment1833
burly1835
fidge1886
static1923
comess1944
frammis1946
bassa-bassa1956
1672 A. Marvell Rehearsal Transpros'd i. 33 The Ecclesiastical Rigours here were in the highest ferment.
1681 J. Dryden Absalom & Achitophel 5 Several Factions from this first Ferment, Work up to Foam, and threat the Government.
1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall III. xxx. 88 The minister..attempted to allay the general ferment.
1829 I. Taylor Nat. Hist. Enthusiasm ix. 240 A ferment of sinister feelings.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 20 The foreign embassies were all in a ferment.
Compounds
attributive and in other combinations.
ΚΠ
1863 H. Watts Dict. Chem. II. 634 Ferment-oils..are volatile oils, produced by the fermentation of various plants, not originally contained therein, and essentially different from the oils which are extracted from unfermented plants by distillation with water.
1886 Encycl. Brit. XXI. 400/2 In 1870 Pasteur had proved that a disease of silkworms was due to a ferment~organism of the nature of a Schizomycete.
1898 H. Manders (title) The ferment treatment of cancer and tuberculosis.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
fermentv.
/fəˈmɛnt/, /fəːˈmɛnt/, U.S. /fərˈmɛnt/ 1.
a. intransitive. Of material substances (in early use primarily of dough or saccharine fluids): To undergo the action of a ferment; to suffer fermentation; to ‘work’. (The precise meaning has varied with that of the nouns ferment n., fermentation n.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > chemical processes or reactions > [verb (intransitive)] > fermentation
fermenta1398
fermentate1599
quicken1686
saccharize1764
the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > [verb (intransitive)] > ferment
barmc1440
spurgec1440
work1570
spurge1634
ferment1667
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. lxviii. 959 Sour-dowe hatte fermentum, for it makeþ paste ferment and makeþ it also arise [L. excrescere et fervere facit pastam].
1665 R. Hooke Micrographia 190 Flies swarming, about any piece of flesh that does begin a little to ferment.
1667 A. Cowley To Royal Soc. iv, in T. Sprat Hist. Royal-Soc. sig. B2 All their juyce did..Ferment into a..refreshing Wine.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. 135 The tainted Blood..Begins to boyl and through the Bones ferment . View more context for this quotation
1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 66 These mineral Substances..ferment, rise up in Vapours and Steams.
1791 T. Beddoes in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 81 174 As it approaches more and more towards nature [malleable iron] it adheres less; and when the tools come clear up out of the mass, he judges it to be fermented enough [cf. fermentation n. 1d].
1813 H. Davy Elements Agric. Chem. i. 6 Dung which has fermented.
1838 T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 370 The blue precipitate..is removed into a copper boiler till it assumes the appearance of effervescing, or till it ferments.
1842 A. Combe Physiol. Digestion (ed. 4) 290 We allow bread to ferment.
b. figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > excitement > be or become excited [verb (intransitive)]
stira1000
resea1250
to move one's blood (also mood)c1330
fluster1613
fever1632
foment1646
ferment1671
animate1779
self-excite1832
effervesce1850
to turn on1966
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > confusion or disorder > commotion, disturbance, or disorder > be in commotion or disorder [verb (intransitive)]
seethe1609
trouble1619
ferment1671
welter1837
1671 J. Milton Samson Agonistes 619 My griefs..ferment and rage. View more context for this quotation
1771 S. Johnson Lett. to Mrs. Thrale 3 July These reflections fermented in my mind.
1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall III. lxvii. 686 Fanaticism fermented in anarchy.
1856 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. (1885) I. i. 65 The northern counties were fermenting in a half-suppressed rebellion.
1878 O. W. Holmes John Lothrop Motley: Mem. ii. 10 His mind was doubtless fermenting with projects.
2. transitive. To subject to fermentation; to cause fermentation in.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > gas > gas or air in liquid or effervescence > charge with air or gas to cause effervescence [verb (transitive)]
ferment1673
aerate1794
the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > [verb (transitive)] > ferment
work1594
barm1615
ferment1673
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical reactions or processes > subject to chemical reactions or processes [verb (transitive)] > subject to named chemical reaction or process > subject to fermentation
ferment1673
the world > time > change > change to something else, transformation > sudden or complete change > cause sudden or complete change [verb (transitive)] > as agent
leaven1534
ferment1823
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation for table or cooking > preparation of bread > prepare bread [verb (transitive)] > add leaven or raise > cause fermentation in
sour1340
fermentate1599
ferment1830
1673 N. Grew Idea Phytol. Hist. iii. 108 The Sap..is..fermented therein.
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 502 Liquors are fermented for the use of the table.
1830 M. Donovan Domest. Econ. I. x. 373 The yest, made use of in the process of fermenting the dough.
1834 Brit. Husbandry (Libr. Useful Knowl.) I. 272 There was as much moisture as was necessary to ferment the straw.
3.
a. transferred and figurative. To work up into a ferment or agitation; to excite, stir up.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > cause to move [verb (transitive)]
stira1023
icchec1175
wawc1290
movea1382
remble1579
rouse1582
agitate1592
act1597
to put in (also into, to) motion1597
activate1624
actuate1641
animate1646
ferment1667
to feague away1671
to carry about1680
excite1694
jee1722
bestir1813
emotion1831
to set on1855
send1864
motion1929
the mind > emotion > excitement > exciting > excite [verb (transitive)]
astirc1000
stir?c1225
araisec1374
entalentc1374
flamec1380
reara1382
raisec1384
commove1393
kindlea1400
fluster1422
esmove1474
talent1486
heavec1540
erect?1555
inflame1560
to set on gog1560
yark1565
tickle1567
flesh1573
concitate1574
rouse1574
warmc1580
agitate1587
spirit1598
suscitate1598
fermentate1599
nettle1599
startle1602
worka1616
exagitate1621
foment1621
flush1633
exacuatea1637
ferment1667
to work up1681
pique1697
electrify1748
rattle1781
pump1791
to touch up1796
excite1821
to key up1835
to steam up1909
jazz1916
steam1922
volt1930
whee1949
to fire up1976
geek1984
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > carry on vigorously [verb (transitive)] > make lively > specifically a thing
animate1585
spirit1600
to breathe through ——1606
exagitate1621
ferment1667
vitalize1805
1667 R. Allestree Causes Decay Christian Piety ix. 251 When bitter Zeal was once fermented.
1712 R. Blackmore Creation ii. 94 Fierce Winds..with their furious Breath ferment the Deep.
1713 A. Pope Windsor-Forest 5 Ye vig'rous Swains! while Youth ferments your Blood.
1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) x. 98 Ladies who are endeavouring to ferment themselves into hysterics.
1852 A. Jameson Legends Madonna p. xxv A more contemplative enthusiasm..fermented into life and form.
1856 R. W. Emerson Eng. Traits xiii. 216 The Christianity which fermented Europe.
b. To exacerbate; to foment, inflame.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > make (more) violent [verb (transitive)]
enragec1500
renfierce1590
inflame1607
incense1615
ferment1660
the mind > will > motivation > motivate [verb (transitive)] > incite or instigate > bring about by incitement
stirc897
forthclepe?c1000
raisec1175
entice1297
rearc1325
excitea1340
arta1450
provocate?a1475
suscitate1528
to stir upc1530
provoke1535
store1552
concitea1555
upsteer1558
spirit1598
solicit1602
foment1606
fana1616
proritate1620
incite1627
ferment1660
spirita1680
brush1755
whip1805
to put (also set) (the) spurs to1819
fillipa1822
instigate1852
spark-plug1945
whomp1961
1660 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 306 Findinge..the same disputes..fermented..against the merchants.
a1704 T. Brown Ess. Eng. Satyr in Wks. (1707) I. i. 36 He fermented the Passions of the Vicious.
1764 S. Foote Mayor of Garret ii. 45 To..ferment a difference between husband and wife.
1868 Times 21 Jan. To shew him fermenting the Garibaldian movements.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.c1420v.a1398