festermentn.
/ˈfɛstəm(ə)nt/, U.S. /ˈfɛstərmənt/ Now rare.
1. The process or state of festering; an instance of this. Chiefly figurative.
ΘΚΠ
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
1833 T. Chalmers On Power, Wisdom & Goodness of God II. ii. ii. 211 Those misadventures and pettier miseries of life..if not so alleviated, would keep us in a state of continual festerment.
1833 T. Chalmers On Power, Wisdom, & Goodness of God II. i. vii. 5 This sore annoyance—the brooding fountain of so many..festerments.
1845 N. Brit. Rev. 2 488 The population..have been thrown..into the festerment of an universal discontent.
1988 W. Kennedy Quinn's Bk. 45 I peered in to see the wound, having only heard of its festerment second-hand.
2. concrete. A festering thing; a rotting mass. Chiefly English regional.
ΚΠ
a1876 E. Leigh Gloss. Words Dial. Cheshire (1877) 76 Festerment,..a festerment o' weeds.
2003 A. Garner Thursbitch (2004) 3 They'll land in such a festerment they'll big dog you.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1833