ferment
(redirected from ferments)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia.
ferment
agitation; unrest; excitement: The city was in the grip of political ferment.
Not to be confused with:
foment – incite; instigate rebellion: to foment a riot.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
fer·ment
(fûr′mĕnt′)n.
1.
a. An agent, such as an enzyme, bacterium, or fungus, that brings about fermentation.
b. Fermentation.
2.
a. A state of agitation or of turbulent change or development.
b. An agent that precipitates or is capable of precipitating such a state; a catalyst.
v. (fər-mĕnt′) fer·ment·ed, fer·ment·ing, fer·ments
v.intr.
1. To undergo fermentation: cabbage that has fermented.
2. To develop in a turbulent or agitated way; seethe: an idea that was fermenting in his mind for months.
v.tr.
1. To cause to undergo fermentation: Yeasts ferment sugars.
2. To produce by or as if by fermentation: ferment the wine in oak barrels; hostility that was fermented by envy.
3. To make turbulent; excite or agitate: a fiery speech that fermented the crowd.
fer·ment′a·bil′i·ty n.
fer·ment′a·ble adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ferment
n
1. (Biochemistry) any agent or substance, such as a bacterium, mould, yeast, or enzyme, that causes fermentation
2. (Biochemistry) another word for fermentation
3. commotion; unrest
vb
4. (Biochemistry) to undergo or cause to undergo fermentation
5. to stir up or seethe with excitement
[C15: from Latin fermentum yeast, from fervēre to seethe]
ferˈmentable adj
ferˌmentaˈbility n
ferˈmenter n
Usage: See at foment
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
fer•ment
(n. ˈfɜr mɛnt; v. fərˈmɛnt)n.
1. any of a group of living organisms, as yeasts, molds, and certain bacteria, that cause fermentation.
2. an enzyme that catalyzes the anaerobic breakdown of molecules that yield energy.
4. agitation or excitement; commotion: artistic ferment; political ferment.
v.t. 5. to act upon as a ferment.
6. to cause to undergo fermentation.
7. to inflame or excite; foment.
v.i. 8. to be fermented; undergo fermentation.
9. to seethe with agitation or excitement.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin fermentum yeast, fermentāre to cause to rise; akin to barm, Latin fervēre to boil]
fer•ment′a•ble, adj.
fer•ment`a•bil′i•ty, n.
fer•ment′er, fer•men′tor, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ferment
a tumult of agitation; an assembly of people affected by such a tumult, 1672.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ferment
Past participle: fermented
Gerund: fermenting
Imperative |
---|
ferment |
ferment |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | ferment - a state of agitation or turbulent change or development; "the political ferment produced new leadership"; "social unrest" Sturm und Drang, upheaval, turbulence - a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally); "the industrial revolution was a period of great turbulence" |
2. | ferment - a substance capable of bringing about fermentation substance - a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties; "shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man" | |
3. | ferment - a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol bottom fermentation - a slow kind of alcoholic fermentation at a temperature low enough that the yeast cells can sink to the bottom of the fermenting liquid; used in the production of lager chemical action, chemical change, chemical process - (chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved top fermentation - a violent kind of alcoholic fermentation at a temperature high enough to carry the yeast cells to the top of the fermenting liquid; used in the production of ale; "top fermentation uses a yeast that ferments at higher temperatures than that used for bottom fermentation" vinification - the process whereby fermentation changes grape juice into wine | |
Verb | 1. | ferment - be in an agitated or excited state; "The Middle East is fermenting"; "Her mind ferments" seethe - be in an agitated emotional state; "The customer was seething with anger" |
2. | ferment - work up into agitation or excitement; "Islam is fermenting Africa" | |
3. | ferment - cause to undergo fermentation; "We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content"; "The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats" convert - change the nature, purpose, or function of something; "convert lead into gold"; "convert hotels into jails"; "convert slaves to laborers" sour, ferment, turn, work - go sour or spoil; "The milk has soured"; "The wine worked"; "The cream has turned--we have to throw it out" vinify - convert a juice into wine by fermentation; "vinify grape juice" | |
4. | ferment - go sour or spoil; "The milk has soured"; "The wine worked"; "The cream has turned--we have to throw it out" change state, turn - undergo a transformation or a change of position or action; "We turned from Socialism to Capitalism"; "The people turned against the President when he stole the election" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
ferment
noun
1. commotion, turmoil, unrest, turbulence, trouble, heat, excitement, glow, fever, disruption, frenzy, stew, furore, uproar, agitation, tumult, hubbub, brouhaha, imbroglio, state of unrest The country is in a state of political ferment.
commotion quiet, hush, tranquillity, stillness, calmness, peacefulness, restfulness
commotion quiet, hush, tranquillity, stillness, calmness, peacefulness, restfulness
verb
1. brew, froth, concoct, effervesce, work, rise, heat, boil, bubble, foam, seethe, leaven red wine made from grapes left to ferment for three weeks
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
ferment
verbnoun1. An agent that stimulates or precipitates a reaction, development, or change:
2. A state of uneasiness and usually resentment brewing to an eventual explosion:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
في غَلَيانيُثير، يُهَيِّجيَخْتَمِر
kvasitneklidpůsobitvyvolávatkvas
fermenteregæregærende uroophidseblive ophidset
käyttääkuohuntakuohuttaalietsoanostattaa
erjesztforrongásmegerjeszt
æsagerjauppnám
fermentacijafermentuotiraugintirūgimasrūgti
celt nemierunemiersraudzētrūgtsatraukt
kvasiť
fermenterajäsa
ferment
[ˈfɜːment]A. N
1. (= leaven) → fermento m; (= process) → fermentación f
2. (fig) (= excitement) → agitación f, conmoción f
in a (state of) ferment → en un estado de agitación, conmocionado
in a (state of) ferment → en un estado de agitación, conmocionado
C. [fəˈment] VI (lit) → fermentar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
ferment
[fərˈmɛnt] vi [liquid, substance] → fermenter
vt [+ substance] → faire fermenter
[ˈfɜːrmɛnt] n → agitation f, effervescence f
to be in ferment → être en ébullition
political ferment → agitation politique
to be in ferment → être en ébullition
political ferment → agitation politique
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
ferment
n
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
ferment
[n ˈfɜːmɛnt; vb fəˈmɛnt]1. n (excitement) → eccitazione f, agitazione f, fermento
to be in a state of ferment → essere in fermento or in uno stato di agitazione
to be in a state of ferment → essere in fermento or in uno stato di agitazione
2. vt → far fermentare (fig) → fomentare
3. vi → fermentare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
ferment
(fəˈment) verb1. to (make something) go through a particular chemical change (as when yeast is added to dough in the making of bread). Grape juice must be fermented before it becomes wine.
2. to excite or be excited. He is the kind of person to ferment trouble.
(ˈfəːment) noun a state of excitement. The whole city was in a ferment.
ˌfermenˈtation (fəːmen-) noun the chemical change occurring when something ferments or is fermented.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
fer·ment
n. fermento.
1. sustancia o agente que activa la fermentación;
2. producto de fermentación;
v. fermentar, hacer fermentar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012