leaven

/'levn/

Thân thiện

The baker adds leaven to the dough to make it rise.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid: A leaven is an agent, such as yeast or baking powder, that causes dough or batter to rise by producing gas.
   • An influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something: A leaven is a quality or element that permeates and alters something, often making it less serious or more agreeable.

2. Verb:

   • To cause to puff up with a leaven: To leaven means to add a leavening agent to a dough or batter so it will rise.
   • To permeate and modify or enliven: To leaven means to introduce a moderating or enlivening influence into something, making it lighter or more palatable.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Substance):

  • Yeast is a common leaven used in bread-making.
  • The recipe calls for a chemical leaven like baking soda.

• Noun (Influence):

  • Her witty remarks provided a welcome leaven to the otherwise solemn meeting.
  • The book's serious message is balanced by a leaven of humor.

• Verb (To cause to rise):

  • You must leaven the dough and let it rest before baking.
  • This bread is leavened with a sourdough starter.

• Verb (To modify or enliven):

  • He leavened his lecture with amusing anecdotes.
  • The grim report was leavened by a note of cautious optimism.

Advanced Usage

• "A leavening of [something]": A small amount of a quality that modifies the whole.
  • The film needed a leavening of romance to appeal to a wider audience.
• "To work as a leaven": To act as a subtle, transforming influence.
  • Her kindness worked as a leaven, softening the team's competitive spirit.

Variants and Related Words

• Leavening (n): The process of adding a leaven; the leaven itself. Also used figuratively.
  • Baking powder is a fast-acting leavening.
  • The leavening of hope made their hardship bearable.
• Unleavened (adj): Not leavened; made without a raising agent.
  • Matzo is an unleavened bread.

Synonyms

• Noun (Substance): Yeast, ferment, baking powder, raising agent.
• Noun (Influence): Moderator, tempering element, lightener.
• Verb (To cause to rise): Raise, ferment, puff up.
• Verb (To modify): Temper, moderate, lighten, enliven, permeate.

Related Phrases

• The old leaven: (Idiomatic, often biblical/literary) A corrupting or undesirable influence from the past.
  • They sought to purge the old leaven of corruption from the institution.

Word Origin and Notes

The word originates from the Latin levamen (alleviation, relief), related to levare (to lift). This etymology connects to both its literal meaning (lifting dough) and its figurative meaning (lightening a mood or situation). It is a less common but precise word, often found in culinary and formal or literary contexts.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something
   • his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor
2. a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid

Verb

1. cause to puff up with a leaven
   • unleavened bread

Từ đồng nghĩa

• leavening
• raise
• prove