different between foment vs fomenting

English

Etymology

From Middle English fomenten, a borrowing from Old French fomenter, from Late Latin fomentare, from Latin f?mentum (“lotion”), from fovere (“heat, cherish”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f???m?nt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /fo??m?nt/, /f??m?nt/
• Homophone: ferment (in some dialects, unstressed)

Verb

foment (third-person singular simple present foments, present participle fomenting, simple past and past participle fomented)

1. To incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.

   He was arrested for fomenting a riot; after all, it's bad enough being in a riot but starting one is much worse.

   Foreign governments have tried to foment unrest.

   • 2021, Peter Walker, Tories urged to suspend politicians who likened US violence to anti-Brexit protests, in: The Guardian, January 7 2021

     Boris Johnson and senior Conservative ministers have vigorously condemned the violence in Washington, but have largely steered clear of condemning Trump for fomenting it.

2. (medicine) To apply a poultice to; to bathe with a cloth or sponge.

   Synonym: beath

   • 1904, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Abbey Grange, Norton (2005), page 1178,

     The maid had entered with us, and began once more to foment the bruise upon her mistress's brow.

Derived terms

• fomentation

Translations

Noun

foment (plural foments)

1. Fomentation.
   • 1892, Julian Ralph, On Canada's Frontier

     He came in no conciliatory mood, and the foment was kept up.

References

English

Etymology

foment +? -ing

Verb

fomenting

1. present participle of foment

   fomenting a revolution