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# ferment

«ferment» in Mova's school dictionary: **to change chemically because of yeast or bacteria, which…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 4 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (ferment, ferments, fermented, fermenting); noun (ferment, uncountable)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (science) To ferment means to change chemically because of yeast or bacteria, which break down sugar and make gas, acid or alcohol. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#m1)

2) To ferment trouble means to cause it or stir it up (more often «foment»). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#m2)

3) (noun, formal) A ferment is a state of excitement, unrest or trouble in a group of people. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In science and cooking lessons pupils learn that bread rises because yeast ferments sugar and makes carbon dioxide; yoghurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi and soy sauce are made by fermentation. In history and formal writing, «in a ferment» means people are restless. Phrases: «leave to ferment», «in a state of ferment».

### examples

- Yeast makes the dough ferment and rise. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#x1)
- Milk ferments into yoghurt. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#x2)
- Cabbage is fermented to make sauerkraut. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#x3)
- The grape juice fermented in big barrels. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#x4)
- We watched a balloon fill with gas from fermenting sugar water. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#x5)
- The city was in a ferment after the news. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#x6)
- Kimchi is fermented cabbage from Korea. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/#x7)

### note

Regular verb: fermented. Noun: fermentation. Stress: verb «fer-MENT», noun «FER-ment». Trap: «ferment» is often confused with «foment» (to stir up trouble); «foment» is the correct word for that sense. Fermentation needs living microbes; it is not the same as rotting, though both use microbes.

### In the corpora

- [Only after fermenting, drying and roasting do they start to smell of chocolate.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/347-sugar-chocolate-tea-and-coffee-the-plants-behind-treats/5/)
- [Fresh cocoa beans taste bitter and smell of chocolate only after fermenting, drying and roasting.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/347-sugar-chocolate-tea-and-coffee-the-plants-behind-treats/14/)
- [Fresh cocoa beans taste bitter and nothing like chocolate; the chocolate taste comes from fermenting and roasting.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/technology/2-chocolate-and-sweets/8/)
- [For my heart was in a ferment, and I was pricked in my reins.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.1241/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «ferment» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/ferment/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.