8 results for: Leaven

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

leav·en

Audio Help [lev-uh

–noun

1.	a substance, as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter.

2.	fermented dough reserved for producing fermentation in a new batch of dough.

3.	an element that produces an altering or transforming influence.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to add leaven to (dough or batter) and cause to rise.

5.	to permeate with an altering or transforming element.

[Origin: 1300–50; ME levain < AF, OF levain < VL *levāmen, equiv. to L levā(re) to raise + -men deverbal n. suffix (prob. not continuous with L levāmen means of alleviating, solace)

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Leaven

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

leav·en Audio Help (lěv'ən) Pronunciation Key
n.

An agent, such as yeast, that causes batter or dough to rise, especially by fermentation.
An element, influence, or agent that works subtly to lighten, enliven, or modify a whole.

tr.v. leav·ened, leav·en·ing, leav·ens

To add a rising agent to.
To cause to rise, especially by fermentation.
To pervade with a lightening, enlivening, or modifying influence.

[Middle English, from Old French levain, from Vulgar Latin *levāmen, from Latin levāre, to raise; see leg^wh- in Indo-European roots.]

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
leaven (n.)

1340, from O.Fr. levain (12c.), from L. levamen "alleviation, mitigation," but used in V.L. in its literal sense of "a means of lifting, something that raises," from levare "to raise" (see lever). The verb is attested from 1422.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

leaven
noun
1.	a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid
2.	an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something; "his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor"
verb
1.	cause to puff up with a leaven; "unleavened bread" [syn: raise]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Leaven

Leav"en\, n. [OE. levain, levein, F. levain, L. levamen alleviation, mitigation; but taken in the sense of, a raising, that which raises, fr. levare to raise. See Lever, n.]

1. Any substance that produces, or is designed to produce, fermentation, as in dough or liquids; esp., a portion of fermenting dough, which, mixed with a larger quantity of dough, produces a general change in the mass, and renders it light; yeast; barm.

2. Anything which makes a general assimilating (especially a corrupting) change in the mass.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. --Luke xii. 1.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Leaven

Leav"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leavened; p. pr. & vb. n. Leavening.]

1. To make light by the action of leaven; to cause to ferment.

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. --1 Cor. v. 6.

2. To imbue; to infect; to vitiate.

With these and the like deceivable doctrines, he leavens also his prayer. --Milton.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Leaven

Le"ver\ (l[=e]"v[~e]r or l[e^]v"[~e]r; 277), n. [OE. levour, OF. leveor, prop., a lifter, fr. F. lever to raise, L. levare; akin to levis light in weight, E. levity, and perh. to E. light not heavy: cf. F. levier. Cf. Alleviate, Elevate, Leaven, Legerdemain, Levee, Levy, n.]

1. (Mech.) A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (the fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; -- used for transmitting and modifying force and motion. Specif., a bar of metal, wood, or other rigid substance, used to exert a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the six mechanical powers, and is of three kinds, according as either the fulcrum F, the weight W, or the power P, respectively, is situated between the other two, as in the figures.

2. (Mach.) (a) A bar, as a capstan bar, applied to a rotatory piece to turn it. (b) An arm on a rock shaft, to give motion to the shaft or to obtain motion from it.

Compound lever, a machine consisting of two or more levers acting upon each other.

Lever escapement. See Escapement.

Lever jack. See Jack, n., 5.

Lever watch, a watch having a vibrating lever to connect the action of the escape wheel with that of the balance.

Universal lever, a machine formed by a combination of a lever with the wheel and axle, in such a manner as to convert the reciprocating motion of the lever into a continued rectilinear motion of some body to which the power is applied.

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