ferment

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

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.

fer·ment

(fûr′mĕnt′)

a. An agent, such as an enzyme, bacterium, or fungus, that brings about fermentation.

b. Fermentation.

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.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin fermentum; see bhreu- in Indo-European roots.]

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

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

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.

3. fermentation (def. 2).

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.

Ferment

a tumult of agitation; an assembly of people affected by such a tumult, 1672.

ferment

Past participle: fermented
Gerund: fermenting

Imperative
ferment
ferment

Present
I ferment
you ferment
he/she/it ferments
we ferment
you ferment
they ferment

Preterite
I fermented
you fermented
he/she/it fermented
we fermented
you fermented
they fermented

Present Continuous
I am fermenting
you are fermenting
he/she/it is fermenting
we are fermenting
you are fermenting
they are fermenting

Present Perfect
I have fermented
you have fermented
he/she/it has fermented
we have fermented
you have fermented
they have fermented

Past Continuous
I was fermenting
you were fermenting
he/she/it was fermenting
we were fermenting
you were fermenting
they were fermenting

Past Perfect
I had fermented
you had fermented
he/she/it had fermented
we had fermented
you had fermented
they had fermented

Future
I will ferment
you will ferment
he/she/it will ferment
we will ferment
you will ferment
they will ferment

Future Perfect
I will have fermented
you will have fermented
he/she/it will have fermented
we will have fermented
you will have fermented
they will have fermented

Future Continuous
I will be fermenting
you will be fermenting
he/she/it will be fermenting
we will be fermenting
you will be fermenting
they will be fermenting

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been fermenting
you have been fermenting
he/she/it has been fermenting
we have been fermenting
you have been fermenting
they have been fermenting

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been fermenting
you will have been fermenting
he/she/it will have been fermenting
we will have been fermenting
you will have been fermenting
they will have been fermenting

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been fermenting
you had been fermenting
he/she/it had been fermenting
we had been fermenting
you had been fermenting
they had been fermenting

Conditional
I would ferment
you would ferment
he/she/it would ferment
we would ferment
you would ferment
they would ferment

Past Conditional
I would have fermented
you would have fermented
he/she/it would have fermented
we would have fermented
you would have fermented
they would have fermented

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" fermentation, unrest, agitation, tempestuousness 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 fermenting, zymolysis, zymosis, fermentation 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" fire up, stir up, wake, heat, ignite, inflame - arouse or excite feelings and passions; "The ostentatious way of living of the rich ignites the hatred of the poor"; "The refugees' fate stirred up compassion around the world"; "Wake old feelings of hatred"
	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" work 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" sour, turn, work 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" ferment, work - 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"

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

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

2. stir up, excite, provoke, rouse, agitate, inflame, incite They tried to ferment political unrest.

3. smoulder, seethe, fester, heat, boil, foment His anger still ferments after a decade. see foment

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

ferment

verb

To be in a state of emotional or mental turmoil:

boil, bubble, burn, churn, seethe, simmer, smolder.

noun

1. An agent that stimulates or precipitates a reaction, development, or change:

catalyst, leaven, leavening, yeast.

2. A state of uneasiness and usually resentment brewing to an eventual explosion:

Sturm und Drang, turmoil, unrest.

Translations

في غَلَيانيُثير، يُهَيِّجيَخْتَمِر

kvasitneklidpůsobitvyvolávatkvas

fermenteregæregærende uroophidseblive ophidset

gären Gärmittel stören anstacheln Aufruhr

käyttääkuohuntakuohuttaalietsoanostattaa

fermenter fomenter effervescence

erjesztforrongásmegerjeszt

æsagerjauppnám

fermentare fermento agitazione

fermentacijafermentuotiraugintirūgimasrūgti

celt nemierunemiersraudzētrūgtsatraukt

gist gisten stoken

bli opphisset fermentere gjære gjærende uro hisse

бродить фермент

kvasiť

fermenterajäsa

çıkarmak heyecanmayala maktelâşyaratmak

使发酵使激动骚动

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

B. [fəˈment] VT (lit) → hacer fermentar (fig) → fomentar

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

[fə^rˈmɛnt]

vi [liquid, substance] → fermenter

vt [+ substance] → faire fermenter

[ˈfɜː^rmɛnt] n → agitation f, effervescence f
to be in ferment → être en ébullition
political ferment → agitation politique

ferment

(= fermentation) → Gärung f; (= substance) → Ferment nt, → Gärstoff m

(fig) → Unruhe f, → Erregung f; the city was in ferment → es brodelte or gärte in der Stadt

vi (lit, fig) → gären; (plan also) → (aus)reifen

vt (lit) → fermentieren, zur Gärung bringen; (fig) → anwachsen lassen

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

2. vt → far fermentare (fig) → fomentare

3. vi → fermentare

ferment

(fəˈment) verb

1. 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.

fer·ment

n. fermento.

1. sustancia o agente que activa la fermentación;

2. producto de fermentación;

v. fermentar, hacer fermentar.

References in classic literature ?

When she took the paste out to bake it, she left smears of dough sticking to the sides of the measure, put the measure on the shelf behind the stove, and let this residue ferment. The next time she made bread, she scraped this sour stuff down into the fresh dough to serve as yeast.

View in context

During their absence the whole population of the place were in a ferment, and nothing was talked of but 'pehee, pehee' (fish, fish).

View in context

"It is like yeast, a ferment, a thing that moves and may move for a minute, an hour, a year, or a hundred years, but that in the end will cease to move.

View in context

All the village and all who heard of it were amazed at the affair; I was aghast, Anselmo thunderstruck, her father full of grief, her relations indignant, the authorities all in a ferment, the officers of the Brotherhood in arms.

View in context

The sight of them, mounted on the very horses they had stolen, set the blood of the mountaineers in a ferment; but it was useless to attack them, as they would have but to turn their steeds and scamper out of the reach of pedestrians.

View in context

In 1789 a ferment arises in Paris; it grows, spreads, and is expressed by a movement of peoples from west to east.

View in context

There was nothing notable in the event which thus set the bells and the bourgeois of Paris in a ferment from early morning.

View in context

And surely, in that cosmic ferment, all must be comparatively alike, comparatively of the same substance, or substances, save for the freaks of the ferment.

View in context

Meantime, the purpose of the Governor, in disturbing the peace of the town at a period when the slightest commotion might throw the country into a ferment, was almost the universal subject of inquiry, and variously explained.

View in context

Amid the oozing fatness and warm ferments of the Froom Vale, at a season when the rush of juices could almost be heard below the hiss of fertilization, it was impossible that the most fanciful love should not grow passionate.

View in context

The influence which the bigotry of one female,[6] the petulance of another,[7] and the cabals of a third,[8] had in the contemporary policy, ferments, and pacifications, of a considerable part of Europe, are topics that have been too often descanted upon not to be generally known.

View in context

Our drink consisted of pure water, to which the Captain added some drops of a fermented liquor, extracted by the Kamschatcha method from a seaweed known under the name of Rhodomenia palmata.