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barm

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barm

[bahrm]
–noun
yeast formed on malt liquors while fermenting.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME berme, OE beorma; c. Fris berme, G Bärme, Sw bärme; akin to ferment
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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barm   (bärm)   
n.  The yeasty foam that rises to the surface of fermenting malt liquors.

[Middle English berme, from Old English beorma, yeast; see bhreu- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

barm 
O.E. beorma "yeast," also "head of a beer," from PIE base *bher- "to boil up" (cf. Du. berm, M.L.G. barm, L. fermentum "substance causing fermentation," Skt. bhurati "moves convulsively, quivers," M.Ir. berbaim "I boil, seethe"), from base *bhreue- "to boil, bubble, effervesce, burn" (see brew). Hence, barmy "frothing" (1535); fig. sense of "excitedly active" is attested from 1602. Meaning "foolish" (1892) is probably an alteration of balmy (see balm).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
BARM
block acceptance reporting mechanism
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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