1. a substance used as a warm moist medicinal compress or poultice • Hypernyms: substance • Substance Holonyms: compress 2. application of warm wet coverings to a part of the body to relieve pain and inflammation • Derivationally related forms: foment • Hypernyms: treatment, intervention 3. deliberate and intentional triggering (of trouble or discord) • Syn: instigation • Derivationally related forms: instigate (for: instigation), foment • Hypernyms: trigger, induction, initiation