in a (state of) ferment

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• ferment — 1 verb (I, T) if fruit, beer, wine etc ferments or if it is fermented, the sugar in it changes to alcohol, especially because of the action of yeast fermented adjective : fermented fruit fermentation noun (U) 2 noun (U) a situation of great… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

• ferment — [n1] substance causing chemicals to split into simpler substances bacteria, bacterium, barm, ebullition, enzyme, fermentation agent, leaven, leavening, mold, seethe, simmer, yeast; concept 478 ferment [n2] agitation, uprising ailment, brouhaha,… …   New thesaurus

• ferment — [fʉr′ment΄; ] for v. [ fər ment′] n. [ME < OFr < L fermentum, leaven, yeast < fervere, to boil, be agitated: see BARM] 1. a substance or organism causing fermentation, as yeast, bacteria, enzymes, etc. 2. FERMENTATION 3. a state of… …   English World dictionary

• ferment, foment — In the sense of causing trouble, these words can be used interchangeably: Rebel soldiers fomented (or fermented) unrest among the people. Ferment literally means to act upon as a ferment, that is, to cause the giving off of gases that induce… …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

• ferment — ferments, fermenting, fermented (The noun is pronounced [[t]fɜ͟ː(r)ment[/t]]. The verb is pronounced [[t]fə(r)me̱nt[/t]].) 1) N UNCOUNT Ferment is excitement and trouble caused by change or uncertainty. The whole country has been in a state of… …   English dictionary

• ferment — I. verb Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to undergo fermentation 2. to be in a state of agitation or intense activity transitive verb 1. to cause to undergo fermentation 2. to work up (as into a state of agitation) ; foment • fermentable …   New Collegiate Dictionary

• ferment — I. n. 1. Yeast, leaven, barm. 2. Fermentation, fungic transformation. 3. Agitation, commotion, tumult, heat, glow, fever, state of excitement. II. v. a. 1. Set in fermentation, set fermenting, produce fermentation in, transform by means of a… …   New dictionary of synonyms

• ferment — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. yeast, leaven; uproar, turmoil, agitation, disorder.See sourness. v. i. effervesce, work, raise; seethe, arouse. II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. stir, excitement, agitation, unrest; see disturbance 2 . v. Syn …   English dictionary for students

• ferment — n 1. yeast, mold, bacteria, leaven, mother, mother of vinegar, Brit. Inf. barm; pepsin, enzyme. 2. fermentation, working, raising, transformation; effervescence, bubbling, boiling, seething, foaming. 3. tumult, commotion, hubbub, hurly burly,… …   A Note on the Style of the synonym finder

• ferment — 1. verb /fəˈmɛnt,fɚˈmɛnt,ˈfɜːmɛnt,ˈfɝmɛnt/ a) To react, using fermentation; especially to produce alcohol by allowing yeast to act on sugars; to brew. b) To stir up, agitate, cause …   Wiktionary

• Fermentation by an unorganized ferment — Fermentation Fer men*ta tion (f[ e]r m[e^]n*t[=a] sh[u^]n), n. [Cf. F. fermentation.] 1. The process of undergoing an effervescent change, as by the action of yeast; in a wider sense (Physiol. Chem.), the transformation of an organic substance… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English