fermento — Lewis & Short
fermento, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a.id.,
I to cause to rise or ferment; in pass., to rise, ferment.
I Lit.:
panis hordeaceus ervi aut cicerculae farina fermentabatur,Plin. 18, 11, 26, § 103; cf.: fermentato pane ali, with fermented, leavened, or light bread, id. ib.:
fermentatus panis,Cels. 2, 25 and 29:
ficus sinitur fermentari,Col. 12, 17, 1; Vulg. Matt. 13, 33.—
B Transf., to cause to swell or rise up, to break up, loosen:
terram,Varr. R. R. 1, 38, 1; Col. 2, 14, 1; 11, 3, 13.—*
II Trop., to sour, spoil, Paul. Nol. Carm. 10, 263.—Hence, fermentātus, a, um, P. a.
A Lit. (acc. to I. B.), loose, soft:
si deprimatur scobis in regesto, quod est fermentatum plus dipondio semisse,Col. 4, 1, 3:
(optimi canes) debent esse pedibus magnis ... solo fermentato ac molli,Varr. R. R. 2, 9, 4.—*
B Trop. (acc. to II.), corrupted, spoiled:
mores,Prud. Apoth. 354.