ferment
1. a state of agitation or turbulent change or development (Freq. 1)
- the political ferment produced new leadership
- social unrest
• Syn:
agitation, fermentation, tempestuousness, unrest
• Derivationally related forms:
tempestuous (for: tempestuousness), ferment (for: fermentation)
• Hypernyms:
turbulence, upheaval, Sturm und Drang
2. a substance capable of bringing about fermentation
• Hypernyms:
substance
3. a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances;
especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol
• Syn:
zymosis, zymolysis, fermentation, fermenting
• Derivationally related forms:
ferment (for: fermenting), ferment (for: fermentation), zymolytic (for: zymolysis), zymotic (for: zymosis)
• Hypernyms:
chemical process, chemical change, chemical action
• Hyponyms:
bottom fermentation, top fermentation, vinification
1. be in an agitated or excited state
- The Middle East is fermenting
- Her mind ferments
• Derivationally related forms:
fermentation
• Hypernyms:
seethe, boil
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- Somebody ----s
2. work up into agitation or excitement
- Islam is fermenting Africa
• Derivationally related forms:
fermentation
• Hypernyms:
inflame, stir up, wake, ignite, heat, fire up
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
- Something ----s somebody
- Something ----s something
3. 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
• Syn:
work
• Derivationally related forms:
fermentation, fermenting
• Hypernyms:
convert
• Hyponyms:
vinify
• Verb Group:
sour, turn, work
• Cause:
sour, turn, work
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
4. go sour or spoil
- The milk has soured
- The wine worked
- The cream has turned--we have to throw it out
• Syn:
sour, turn, work
• Derivationally related forms:
fermentation, souring (for: sour)
• Hypernyms:
change state, turn
• Verb Group:
work
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
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