leaven

Word family

Related topics: Cooking

leav·en1 /ˈlevən/ (also leavening /ˈlevənɪŋ/) noun

1. [uncountableU] technicalDFC a substance, especially yeast, that is added to a mixture of flour and water so that it will swell and can be baked into bread 酵母，面肥 → unleavened

2. [singular, uncountableU] literaryINTERESTINGHAPPY something that makes an event or situation less boring, serious, or sad 使事件[情景]变得有趣[生动]的东西；调和剂

Examples from the Corpus

leaven• A piece of dough was kept back after using the yeast and this is called leaven.• None rejoice more in this leaven than the professional scholars themselves.• This leaven was added the next time baking bread was done.

leaven2 verb [transitiveT]

formalINTERESTINGBORING to make something less boring, serious, or sad 使有趣[生动]

Examples from the Corpus

leaven• What emerges from that tainted oven will likely be a typical loaf of local politics leavened by big money.• His intellectualism now was leavened by experience.• Feminist consciousness now leavens every relationship, every single social and professional encounter.• My affection for her was leavened with lesser likings and with admiration.• Organist Dan Wall's power is leavened with subtlety and his four compositions are perfect vehicles for Abercrombie.

Origin leaven1

(1300-1400) Old French levain, from Vulgar Latin levamen, from Latin levare “to raise”

leav·en1 nounleaven2 verb

Chinese

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Corpus