[ad. Fr. foment-er, ad. late L. fōmentāre, f. fōmentum FOMENT sb.]
1. trans. To bathe with warm or medicated lotions; to apply fomentations to. Also, † to lubricate.
1611. Cotgr., Bassiner, to warme, foment.
1643. J. Steer, trans. Exp. Chyrurg., xii. 47. Make therewith a Cataplasme and apply it hot three or foure times a day, but first foment the place affected with the following foment.
1656. Ridgley, Pract. Physick, 131. Foment it with white wax.
1748. trans. Vegetius’ Distemp. Horses, 144. You put into the Wound tents dipt in Wine and Oil, with Salt mixed with them; and you shall foment it for the Space of four Days.
1802. Med. Jrnl., VIII. 1 Dec., 516. The breasts were frequently fomented.
1886. Fitzwygram, Horses & Stables, § 255. The leg below the knee may be conveniently fomented by putting it in a deep bucket of warm water.
absol. 1612. Woodall, The Surgeons Mate, Wks. (1653), 303. Fomentations are very good medicines in wounds with Gun-shot, but foment not at any time, except you can have convenient fire at hand, and let ever your Fomentations be very warme applyed.
† 2. ‘To cherish with heat, to warm’ (J.). Always in conjunction with another verb, as chafe, heat, warm. Obs.
1647–8. Joseph Beaumont, Psyche, I. clv.
| Creeps chillness on him? She foments and heats | |
| His flesh, but more profoundly burns her own. |
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 667.
| All things, which these soft fires | |
| Not only enlighten, but with kindly heate | |
| Of various influence foment and warme. |
† 3. To rouse or stir up (a person or his energies); to excite, irritate. Obs.
1642. R. Carpenter, Experience, V. xix. 326. Being a young stripling, I was active in bestowing my service upon your Church: fomented with your envenomed suggestions.
1680. Otway, Orphan, IV. v. 1506.
| Still | |
| Chaft, and fomented, let my Heart swell on, | |
| Till with its Injuries it burst, and shake | |
| With the dire Blow this Prison to the Earth. |
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks. (1711), 226. This malignant Liquor was compounded by the Engineer who invented it, of two Ingredients, which are Gall and Copperas, by its Bitterness and Venom, to suit in some Degree, as well as to foment the Genius of the Combatants.
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 127. The old general, not to foment him, with a great deal of mildness stood up.
† b. intr. for refl.: To become excited or heated.
1665. J. Webb, Stone-Heng, 16. In like manner, this Doctor fomenteth, saying; ‘The one stumbles upon an Altar-stone … over which the other leaped clearly, without so much as ever touching it.
1680. Otway, Orphan, V. ii. 1849.
| To think | |
| Of Women were enough to taint my Brains, | |
| Till they foment to madness! |
4. a. To promote the growth, development, effect, or spread of (something material or physical).
1644. Quarles, Barnabas & B., 150. If thy intricate distemper transcend thy power, make choice of a Physician that can purge that humour which foments thy malady.
1661. Burning of Lond., in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793), 443. A violent easterly wind fomented it, and kept it burning all that day.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 1070.
| How we his gather’d beams | |
| Reflected, may with matter sere foment. |
1707. Curios. in Husb. & Gard., 180. Plants receive from their Roots this Nitre, which feeds, foments and preserves them.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIX. 76.
| These to remove th’ expiring embers came, | |
| While those with unctuous fir foment the flame. |
b. To cherish, cultivate, foster; to stimulate, encourage, instigate (a sentiment, belief, pursuit, course of conduct, etc.). Esp. in a bad sense.
1622. Bacon, Hen. VII., 20. Which Bruite was cunningly fomented by such as desired Innouation.
1664. Marvell, Corr., Wks. (1872–5), II. 164. His Majesty my Master offers himself as a third to foment so amiable a controversy.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XI. 226.
| Thy sire in solitude foments his care: | |
| The court is joyless, for thou art not there! |
1726–7. Swift, Gulliver, I. iv. These civil Commotions were constantly fomented by the Monarchs of Blefuscu; and when they were quelled, the Exiles always fled for refuge to that Empire.
1774. Fletcher, Equal Check, Wks. (1795), IV. p. v. Is not the Antinomianism of hearers fomented by that of Preachers?
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., iv. 75. One of the modes of meeting the objection of expense is the endowment of exhibitions. But it is only one of the modes, and requires to be subjected to carefully-watched conditions, so as not to encourage indolence or foment extravagance.
1873. H. Rogers, Orig. Bible, ii. (1875), 59. In the persecutions, which in the first age of the Gospel the Jews almost always originated, and always fomented, against the hated sect of the Nazarenes.
Hence Fomenting vbl. sb. Also attrib.
1611. Cotgr., Bassinement, warming, a fomentation or fomenting.
1894. Fitzwygram, Horses & Stables, § 255. During fomentation a thick rug should be thrown over the fomenting cloth, and removed as soon as the operation is over, as it will unavoidably become damp, and a dry rug must be substituted for it.
