foment
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Related to fomented: fermented
foment
incite; instigate rebellion: to foment a riot.
Not to be confused with:
ferment – agitation; unrest; excitement: The city was in the grip of political ferment.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
fo·ment
(fō-mĕnt′)tr.v. fo·ment·ed, fo·ment·ing, fo·ments
1. To arouse or incite (trouble, for example).
2. To treat (the skin, for example) by fomentation.
[Middle English fomenten, to apply warm liquids to the skin, from Old French fomenter, from Late Latin fōmentāre, from Latin fōmentum, poultice, from fovēre, to warm; see dhegwh- in Indo-European roots.]
fo·ment′er n.
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.
foment
(fəˈmɛnt)vb (tr)
1. to encourage or instigate (trouble, discord, etc); stir up
2. (Medicine) med to apply heat and moisture to (a part of the body) to relieve pain and inflammation
[C15: from Late Latin fōmentāre, from Latin fōmentum a poultice, ultimately from fovēre to foster]
fomentation n
foˈmenter n
Usage: Both foment and ferment can be used to talk about stirring up trouble: he was accused of fomenting/fermenting unrest. Only ferment can be used intransitively or as a noun: his anger continued to ferment (not foment); rural areas were unaffected by the ferment in the cities
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
fo•ment
(foʊˈmɛnt)v.t.
1. to instigate or foster (discord, rebellion, etc.); promote the growth or development of: to foment trouble.
2. to apply warm water or medicated liquid, ointments, etc., to (the surface of the body).
[1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin, v. derivative of Latin fōmentum soothing application]
fo•ment′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
foment
Past participle: fomented
Gerund: fomenting
Imperative |
---|
foment |
foment |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Verb | 1. | foment - try to stir up public opinion rumpus - cause a disturbance |
2. | foment - bathe with warm water or medicated lotions; "His legs should be fomented" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
foment
verb stir up, raise, encourage, promote, excite, spur, foster, stimulate, provoke, brew, arouse, rouse, agitate, quicken, incite, instigate, whip up, goad, abet, sow the seeds of, fan the flames They accused strike leaders of fomenting violence.
Usage: Both foment and ferment can be used to talk about stirring up trouble: he was accused of fomenting/fermenting unrest. Only ferment can be used intransitively or as a noun: his anger continued to ferment (not foment); rural areas were unaffected by the ferment in the cities.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
foment
verbThe 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
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
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
foment
vt trouble, discord → schüren; (Med) → mit feuchten Umschlägen behandeln
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
foment
[fəˈmɛnt] vt (frm) (trouble, discord, revolution) → fomentare (Med) → applicare impacchi caldiCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995