Definition of "leaven"

leaven

/ˈlɛv.ən/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural leavens
1. Any agent used to make dough rise or to have a similar effect on baked goods.
2. (figurative) Anything that induces change, especially a corrupting or vitiating change.
  Quotations
  Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Mark 8:15
  On the far side was reflected a single red and meteoric cloud, which had treasured one last crimson ray from the sunset, or perhaps nursed within it the fiery leaven.
  1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXXVI, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), page 299
  The leaven of insincerity worked through all the fibres of his being.
  1926, T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, New York: Anchor, published 1991, page 213
verb
third-person singular simple present leavens, present participle leavening, simple past and past participle leavened
1. (transitive) To add a leavening agent.
2. (transitive) To cause to rise by fermentation.
3. (transitive, figuratively) To temper an action or decision.
  Quotations
  Duke. No more euasion:We haue with a leauen'd, and prepared choiceProceeded to you; therefore take your honors:[...]
  c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i]
  With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get […]
  1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, page vii
4. (transitive, figuratively) To imbue; to infect; to vitiate.
  Quotations
  With these and the like deceivable doctrines, he levens also his prayer.
  1649, John Milton, Eikonoklastes‎, London, published 1756, page 30
  […] pursue virtue virtuously: leven not good actions, nor render virtues disputable. Stain not fair acts with foul intentions […]
  1716, Thomas Browne, edited by Samuel Johnson, Christian Morals‎, 2nd edition, London: J. Payne, published 1756, Part I, p. 7
5. To rise or become larger.

Definition of "leaven"

leaven

noun

Quotations

verb

Quotations

Quotations