leaven
gb/lˈɛvən/ us/lˈɛvən/
C1
Inglese
kovász, kelesztőanyag, keleszt, kovászol, színesít, feldob, csipetnyi
SOSTANTIVO
C1
TECHNICAL
1
kovász
B2
Schema d'uso:
[leaven] for [bread/dough]
This recipe uses a natural leaven instead of commercial yeast.
Ez a recept bolti élesztő helyett természetes kovászt használ.
Without enough leaven, the dough will stay dense.
Ha nincs benne elég kelesztőanyag, a tészta tömör marad.
The baker fed the leaven overnight to make it active by morning.
Esempi per chi studia
We need leaven to make the bread rise.
Kelesztőanyagra van szükségünk, hogy a kenyér megkeljen.
This leaven is made from flour and water.
Ez a kovász lisztből és vízből készül.
Errore comune:
Learners often use this when they simply mean yeast; in everyday English, yeast is more common than leaven.
Significato
yeast or similar raising agent
Collocazioni
add leaven
|a leaven of yeast
|natural leaven
|wild leaven
|leaven for bread
|leaven in the dough
|a leavening agent
Sinonimi
yeast (More common everyday term for the same raising ingredient.)
|
starter (Specifically a sourdough culture used as leaven.)
Contrari
unleavened (Describes bread made without any raising agent.)
Temi
food
|cooking
|baking
Definizione
A substance like yeast that makes bread dough rise.
A substance, especially yeast or sourdough starter, that is added to dough to make it rise.
VERBO
C1
TECHNICAL
2
Schema d'uso:
leaven [dough/bread] (with [yeast/starter])
They leaven the dough with a sourdough starter.
Kovásszal kelesztik a tésztát.
The bread is leavened slowly for better flavor.
A jobb íz érdekében lassan kelesztik a kenyeret.
If you don’t leaven it properly, the loaf will be heavy.
Esempi per chi studia
I leaven the dough with yeast.
Élesztővel kelesztem a tésztát.
The bread is leavened overnight.
A kenyeret egy éjszakán át kelesztik.
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes confuse leaven (make rise) with leave (go away) because of spelling and pronunciation.
Significato
make dough rise with yeast
Collocazioni
leaven the dough
|leaven bread
|leaven with yeast
|leaven with sourdough starter
|naturally leavened
|properly leavened
Sinonimi
raise (General cooking term meaning make dough rise.)
|
ferment (Focuses on the biological process that causes rising.)
Contrari
flatten (Opposite effect: make something less risen or less puffy.)
Temi
food
|cooking
|baking
Definizione
To make bread dough rise by adding yeast or starter.
To add leaven to dough, or to cause dough to rise by fermentation.
VERBO
C1
FORMAL
3
Schema d'uso:
leaven [something] (with [humor/wit/anecdotes])
She leavened the presentation with a few short stories.
Néhány rövid történettel színesítette az előadást.
The director leavens the film’s dark themes with moments of warmth.
A rendező meghitt pillanatokkal oldja a film sötét témáit.
Try to leaven your feedback with something encouraging.
Esempi per chi studia
He leavened the talk with jokes.
Viccekkel színesítette az előadást.
We leavened the lesson with a game.
Egy játékkal tettük színesebbé az órát.
Errore comune:
This figurative use is more formal than 'liven up' and is not common in casual speech.
Significato
make something less dull
Collocazioni
leaven the discussion
|leaven the speech
|leaven the report
|leaven criticism with humor
|leaven seriousness with wit
|leaven a lecture with stories
Sinonimi
liven up (More informal and common.)
|
enliven (Close in meaning; slightly more neutral than leaven.)
|
lighten (Emphasizes making something feel less serious or heavy.)
Contrari
dull (Make or become less interesting.)
|
deadend (Not a direct antonym; indicates making something unproductive rather than lively.)
Temi
communication
|emotions
|work
Definizione
To make something more interesting by adding humor or variety.
To make something serious, dull, or monotonous more interesting or pleasant by adding a different element, especially humor or variety.
SOSTANTIVO
C2
FORMAL
4
Schema d'uso:
a leaven of [humor/hope/kindness]
Even in the grim report, there was a leaven of optimism.
Még ebben a komor jelentésben is volt egy csipetnyi optimizmus.
His interviews always contain a leaven of irony.
Az interjúiban mindig van egy csipetnyi irónia.
The community group brought a leaven of hope to the neighborhood.
Esempi per chi studia
Her message had a leaven of hope.
Az üzenetében volt egy csipetnyi remény.
There was a leaven of humor in his speech.
A beszédében volt egy csipetnyi humor.
Errore comune:
This sense is usually used with 'of' (a leaven of humor), not as a countable thing you can hold.
Significato
small positive influence
Collocazioni
a leaven of humor
|a leaven of hope
|a leaven of kindness
|a leaven of truth
|bring a leaven of
|provide a leaven of
Sinonimi
touch (A small amount; more informal.)
|
hint (A small sign; focuses on suggestion rather than improvement.)
|
dash (A small amount added; often used for flavor or style.)
Contrari
gloom (A prevailing sadness with no uplifting element.)
|
monotony (Lack of variety; the opposite of being enlivened.)
Temi
communication
|emotions
|society
Definizione
A small amount of something good that improves a situation.
A small amount of a quality or influence that makes something better, more active, or more cheerful.
Grammatica
Forma base
leaven
IPA
GB/lˈɛvən/
US/lˈɛvən/
Sillabe e accento
leaven (1 sillaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (leaven)
Forme flesse
Noun
- Base: leaven
- Plural: leaven
Verb
- Base: leaven
- 3rd Person Singular: leavens
- Present Participle: leavening
- Past: leavened
Famiglia di parole
Forms
Negative and opposite forms
unleavened
adjective
Espressioni
a leaven of [something]
1/ə lˈɛvən əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
small amount that improves things
A small amount of something good that makes things better.
Esempi
- There was a leaven of humor in an otherwise tense meeting.
- The article offers a leaven of hope without denying the risks.
- He spoke with a leaven of generosity, even toward his critics.
Esempi per chi studia
- There was a leaven of hope.
- I heard a leaven of humor in her voice.
leaven [something] with [something]
1/lˈɛvən sˈʌmθɪŋ wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
make less serious by adding
To add something (often humor) to make it less boring or harsh.
Esempi
- He leavened his criticism with a few sincere compliments.
- The lecturer leavened the theory with practical examples.
- She leavens difficult news with empathy and clear next steps.
Esempi per chi studia
- She leavened the story with humor.
- He leavened the report with examples.
leavened bread
1/lˈɛvənd bɹˈɛd/
fixed phrase
technical
bread made to rise
Bread that rises because it has yeast or starter.
Esempi
- Most sandwich loaves are leavened bread.
- The recipe produces a lightly leavened bread with a crisp crust.
- He prefers leavened bread to flatbreads.
Esempi per chi studia
- This is leavened bread.
- Leavened bread is light and soft.
unleavened bread
1/ʌnlˈivənd bɹˈɛd/
fixed phrase
technical
flat bread without yeast
Bread made without yeast, so it does not rise.
Esempi
- During the holiday, they ate unleavened bread.
- Unleavened bread bakes quickly because it doesn’t need time to rise.
- The meal included soup and strips of unleavened bread.
Esempi per chi studia
- We ate unleavened bread.
- Unleavened bread does not rise.