leaven

英 [ˈlevn]

美 [ˈlevn]

n.  发酵剂; (尤指)酵母，面肥
v.  (添加…)使较有趣，使更令人愉快

过去式：leavened　过去分词：leavened　现在分词：leavening　第三人称单数：leavens　

GRE

BNC.34557 / COCA.25138

牛津词典

noun

• 发酵剂；（尤指）酵母，面肥
  a substance, especially yeast , that is added to bread before it is cooked to make it rise
  1. A few jokes add leaven to a boring speech.
     几句笑话可给枯燥无味的演讲增添活跃的气氛。

verb

• （添加…）使较有趣，使更令人愉快
  to make sth more interesting or cheerful by adding sth to it
  1. Her speech was leavened with a touch of humour.
     几分幽默使她的讲话更为有趣。

柯林斯词典

• VERB 给…添趣；为…增色；使生动
  If a situation or activityis leavened byorwithsomething, it is made more interesting or cheerful.
  1. His mood of deep pessimism cannot have been leavened by his mode of transport—a black cab...
     他极度悲观沮丧，而他的代步工具——一辆黑色的出租车，丝毫不能舒缓这一情绪。
  2. He found congenial officers who knew how to leaven war's rigours with riotous enjoyment.
     他找到了懂得用狂欢来冲淡战争的严酷的志趣相投的军官。

英英释义

noun

• an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something
  1. his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor
  Synonym:leavening
• a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid
  Synonym:leavening

verb

• cause to puff up with a leaven
  1. unleavened bread
  Synonym:raiseprove

双语例句