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| leav·en [ lévvən ] |
noun (plural leav·ens) |
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| Definition: |
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1. rising agent: a substance used to make dough rise, especially yeast or another fermenting agent
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2. something enlivening: something that lightens the weight or mood of something
(
literary
)
  with a leaven of wit
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transitive verb (past and past participle leav·ened, present participle leav·en·ing, 3rd person present singular leav·ens) |
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| Definition: |
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1. mix yeast in something: to add leaven to dough
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2. make food rise: to cause bread or cake to rise using leaven
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3. enliven something: to lighten the atmosphere or mood of something
(
literary
)
His story leavened the mood of the gathering.
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| [14th century. < Old French levain< Latin levare "to raise"] |
