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leaven |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Leaven \Leav"en\, n. [OE. levain, levein, F. levain, L. levamen alleviation, mitigation; but taken in the sense of a raising, that which raises, fr levare to raise. See {Lever}, n.] 1. Any substance that produces, or is designed to produce, fermentation, as in dough or liquids; esp., a portion of fermenting dough, which mixed with a larger quantity of dough, produces a general change in the mass, and renders it light; yeast; barm. 2. Anything which makes a general assimilating (especially a corrupting) change in the mass. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. --Luke xii. 1. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Leaven \Leav"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Leavened}; p. pr & vb n. {Leavening}.] 1. To make light by the action of leaven; to cause to ferment. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. --1 Cor. v. 6. 2. To imbue; to infect; to vitiate. With these and the like deceivable doctrines, he leavens also his prayer. --Milton. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: leaven n 1: a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid [syn: {leavening}] 2: an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something "his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor" [syn: {leavening}] v : cause to puff up with a leaven; of dough; "unleavened bread" [syn: {raise}, {prove}] From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: Leaven (1.) Heb. seor (Ex. 12:15, 19; 13:7; Lev. 2:11), the remnant of dough from the preceding baking which had fermented and become acid. (2.) Heb. hamets properly "ferment." In Num. 6:3, "vinegar of wine" is more correctly "fermented wine." In Ex 13:7, the proper rendering would be "Unfermented things [Heb. matstsoth] shall be consumed during the seven days; and there shall not be seen with thee fermented things [hamets], and there shall not be seen with thee leavened mass [seor] in all thy borders." The chemical definition of ferment or yeast is "a substance in a state of putrefaction, the atoms of which are in a continual motion." The use of leaven was strictly forbidden in all offerings made to the Lord by fire (Lev. 2:11; 7:12; 8:2; Num. 6:15). Its secretly penetrating and diffusive power is referred to in 1 Cor. 5:6. In this respect it is used to illustrate the growth of the kingdom of heaven both in the individual heart and in the world (Matt. 13:33). It is a figure also of corruptness and of perverseness of heart and life (Matt. 16:6, 11; Mark 8:15; 1 Cor. 5:7, 8).
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