FERMENT

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does ferment mean? 

• FERMENT (noun)
  The noun FERMENT has 3 senses:

1. a state of agitation or turbulent change or development

2. a substance capable of bringing about fermentation

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

  Familiarity information: FERMENT used as a noun is uncommon.

• FERMENT (verb)
  The verb FERMENT has 4 senses:

1. be in an agitated or excited state

2. work up into agitation or excitement

3. cause to undergo fermentation

4. go sour or spoil

  Familiarity information: FERMENT used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FERMENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state of agitation or turbulent change or development

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

agitation; ferment; fermentation; tempestuousness; unrest

Context example:

social unrest

Hypernyms ("ferment" is a kind of...):

Sturm und Drang; turbulence; upheaval (a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A substance capable of bringing about fermentation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("ferment" is a kind of...):

substance (a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties)

Derivation:

ferment (go sour or spoil)

ferment (cause to undergo fermentation)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

ferment; fermentation; fermenting; zymolysis; zymosis

Hypernyms ("ferment" is a kind of...):

chemical action; chemical change; chemical process ((chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ferment"):

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)

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)

vinification (the process whereby fermentation changes grape juice into wine)

Derivation:

ferment (go sour or spoil)

ferment (cause to undergo fermentation)

• FERMENT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they ferment    ... he / she / it ferments   
Past simple: fermented   
Past participle: fermented   
-ing form: fermenting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be in an agitated or excited state

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

Her mind ferments

Hypernyms (to "ferment" is one way to...):

boil; seethe (be in an agitated emotional state)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

fermentation (a state of agitation or turbulent change or development)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Work up into agitation or excitement

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

This religion is fermenting Africa

Hypernyms (to "ferment" is one way to...):

fire up; heat; ignite; inflame; stir up; wake (arouse or excite feelings and passions)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

fermentation (a state of agitation or turbulent change or development)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause to undergo fermentation

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

ferment; work

Context example:

The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats

Hypernyms (to "ferment" is one way to...):

convert (change the nature, purpose, or function of something)

Cause:

ferment; sour; turn; work (go sour or spoil)

Verb group:

ferment; sour; turn; work (go sour or spoil)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ferment"):

vinify (convert a juice into wine by fermentation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

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)

ferment (a substance capable of bringing about fermentation)

fermentation; fermenting (a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Go sour or spoil

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

ferment; sour; turn; work

Context example:

The cream has turned--we have to throw it out

Hypernyms (to "ferment" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Verb group:

ferment; work (cause to undergo fermentation)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

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)

ferment (a substance capable of bringing about fermentation)

fermentation (a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol)

 Context examples 

This species is nonmotile, catalase negative, does not reduce nitrate, and ferments lactose, arabinose, xylose, ribose, gluconate, cellobiose, and salicin.

(Bifidobacterium adolescentis, NCI Thesaurus)

This bacteria is nonmotile, secretes leukotoxin, is catalase positive and ferments mannitol and xylose.

(Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, NCI Thesaurus)

This bacteria is nonmotile, catalase and oxidase positive, ferments sugars and is non hemolytic.

(Actinobacillus lignieresii, NCI Thesaurus)

This bacteria is motile by flagella, oxidase and catalase positive, urease negative, hydrolyzes esculin and is unable to ferment glucose.

(Achromobacter piechaudii, NCI Thesaurus)

This bacteria is motile by flagella, oxidase positive, urease negative, hydrolyzes esculin and is unable to ferment glucose.

(Achromobacter denitrificans, NCI Thesaurus)

This includes Lactobacillus bulgaricus, found in yoghurts and fermented food.

(Supplements of 'Good Bacteria' Can Enhance Weight Loss in Dieters, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The fruit comes into contact with the vector during processing and storage: while kept in open baskets, the açaí fruit ferments and generates carbon dioxide, which attracts the triatomine insect.

(Açaí fruit can transmit Chagas disease, SciDev.Net)

This bacteria is catalase positive, non acid fast, urease and gelatinase negative, ferments lactose and hydrolyzes esculin.

(Actinomyces viscosus, NCI Thesaurus)

This bacteria is non motile, capable of both aerobic and anaerobic respiration, ferments glucose and is generally oxidase positive.

(Aeromonas salmonicida, NCI Thesaurus)

This species is nonmotile, non-spore forming, indole positive, hydrolyzes starch and esculin, produces hydrogen sulfide, does not reduce nitrate and ferments melezitose and cellobiose.

(Bacteroides ovatus, NCI Thesaurus)