leaven
gb/lˈɛvən/ us/lˈɛvən/
C1
Англійська
Значення
0 значень
Іменник
technical
C1
entity
1
yeast or similar raising agent
A substance like yeast that makes bread dough rise.
Модель уживання:
[leaven] for [bread/dough]
Поширена помилка:
Learners often use this when they simply mean yeast; in everyday English, yeast is more common than leaven.
Синоніми
yeast (More common everyday term for the same raising ingredient.)
|
starter (Specifically a sourdough culture used as leaven.)
Антоніми
unleavened (Describes bread made without any raising agent.)
Словосполучення
add leaven
|a leaven of yeast
|natural leaven
|wild leaven
|leaven for bread
|leaven in the dough
|a leavening agent
Теми
food
|cooking
|baking
Приклади
- This recipe uses a natural leaven instead of commercial yeast.
- Without enough leaven, the dough will stay dense.
- The baker fed the leaven overnight to make it active by morning.
Навчальні приклади
- We need leaven to make the bread rise.
- This leaven is made from flour and water.
Дієслово
technical
C1
action
2
make dough rise with yeast
To make bread dough rise by adding yeast or starter.
Модель уживання:
leaven [dough/bread] (with [yeast/starter])
Поширена помилка:
Learners sometimes confuse leaven (make rise) with leave (go away) because of spelling and pronunciation.
Синоніми
raise (General cooking term meaning make dough rise.)
|
ferment (Focuses on the biological process that causes rising.)
Антоніми
flatten (Opposite effect: make something less risen or less puffy.)
Словосполучення
leaven the dough
|leaven bread
|leaven with yeast
|leaven with sourdough starter
|naturally leavened
|properly leavened
Теми
food
|cooking
|baking
Приклади
- They leaven the dough with a sourdough starter.
- The bread is leavened slowly for better flavor.
- If you don’t leaven it properly, the loaf will be heavy.
Навчальні приклади
- I leaven the dough with yeast.
- The bread is leavened overnight.
Дієслово
formal
C1
action
3
make something less dull
To make something more interesting by adding humor or variety.
Модель уживання:
leaven [something] (with [humor/wit/anecdotes])
Поширена помилка:
This figurative use is more formal than 'liven up' and is not common in casual speech.
Синоніми
liven up (More informal and common.)
|
enliven (Close in meaning; slightly more neutral than leaven.)
|
lighten (Emphasizes making something feel less serious or heavy.)
Антоніми
dull (Make or become less interesting.)
|
deadend (Not a direct antonym; indicates making something unproductive rather than lively.)
Словосполучення
leaven the discussion
|leaven the speech
|leaven the report
|leaven criticism with humor
|leaven seriousness with wit
|leaven a lecture with stories
Теми
communication
|emotions
|work
Приклади
- She leavened the presentation with a few short stories.
- The director leavens the film’s dark themes with moments of warmth.
- Try to leaven your feedback with something encouraging.
Навчальні приклади
- He leavened the talk with jokes.
- We leavened the lesson with a game.
Іменник
formal
C2
abstract
4
small positive influence
A small amount of something good that improves a situation.
Модель уживання:
a leaven of [humor/hope/kindness]
Поширена помилка:
This sense is usually used with 'of' (a leaven of humor), not as a countable thing you can hold.
Синоніми
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.)
Антоніми
gloom (A prevailing sadness with no uplifting element.)
|
monotony (Lack of variety; the opposite of being enlivened.)
Словосполучення
a leaven of humor
|a leaven of hope
|a leaven of kindness
|a leaven of truth
|bring a leaven of
|provide a leaven of
Теми
communication
|emotions
|society
Приклади
- Even in the grim report, there was a leaven of optimism.
- His interviews always contain a leaven of irony.
- The community group brought a leaven of hope to the neighborhood.
Навчальні приклади
- Her message had a leaven of hope.
- There was a leaven of humor in his speech.
Граматика
Словникова форма
leaven
IPA
GB/lˈɛvən/
US/lˈɛvən/
Склади й наголос
leaven (1 склад)
Stress on 1st syllable (leaven)
Форми слова
Noun
- Base: leaven
- Plural: leaven
Verb
- Base: leaven
- 3rd Person Singular: leavens
- Present Participle: leavening
- Past: leavened
Споріднені слова
Forms
Negative and opposite forms
unleavened
adjective
Вирази
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.
Приклади
- 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.
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.
Приклади
- 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.
leavened bread
1/lˈɛvənd bɹˈɛd/
fixed phrase
technical
bread made to rise
Bread that rises because it has yeast or starter.
Приклади
- Most sandwich loaves are leavened bread.
- The recipe produces a lightly leavened bread with a crisp crust.
- He prefers leavened bread to flatbreads.
unleavened bread
1/ʌnlˈivənd bɹˈɛd/
fixed phrase
technical
flat bread without yeast
Bread made without yeast, so it does not rise.
Приклади
- 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.