foment

fo·ment  (f-mnt)

tr.v. fo·ment·ed, fo·ment·ing, fo·ments

1. To promote the growth of; incite.

2. To treat (the skin, for example) by fomentation.

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[Middle English fomenten, to apply warm liquids to the skin, from Old French fomenter, from Late Latin fmentre, from Latin fmentum, poultice, from fovre, to warm; see dheg^wh- in Indo-European roots.]

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fo·menter n.

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foment [foam-ent]

Verb

to encourage or stir up (trouble) [Latin fomentum a poultice]

fomentation n

USAGE: Both foment and ferment can be used to talk about stirring up trouble: he was accused of fomenting/fermenting unrest. Only ferment can be used intransitively or as a noun: his anger continued to ferment (not foment); rural areas were unaffected by the ferment in the cities.

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	foment - try to stir up public opinion agitate, stir up provoke, stimulate - provide the needed stimulus for rumpus - cause a disturbance
	2.	foment - bathe with warm water or medicated lotions; "His legs should be fomented" bath, bathe - clean one's body by immersion into water; "The child should bathe every day"

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foment

verb stir up, raise, encourage, promote, excite, spur, foster, stimulate, provoke, brew, arouse, rouse, agitate, quicken, incite, instigate, whip up, goad, abet, sow the seeds of, fan the flames

USAGE Both foment and ferment can be used to talk about stirring up trouble: he was accused of fomenting/fermenting unrest. Only ferment can be used intransitively or as a noun: his anger continued to ferment (not foment); rural areas were unaffected by the ferment in the cities.