precipitate, turbulent, passito, ferment. Clear-air turbulence is becoming more frequent and more intense as the atmosphere warms.

Clear-air turbulence is becoming more frequent and more intense as the atmosphere warms.

Bill Moyers

The Supreme Court’s recent blessing of Obamacare has precipitated a rush among the nation’s biggest health insurers to consolidate into two or three behemoths.

Robert Reich writes that the "result will be good for their shareholders and executives, but bad for the rest of us – who will pay through the nose for the health insurance we need."

Pope Francis Rids Himself of a Turbulent Priest
Pope Francis demoted Cardinal Raymond Burke from the prestigious role of leader of the Vatican's highest court to a ceremonial position as chaplain of a charity group Saturday. Burke, a conservative American, had publicly criticized the pope's leadership


Foster's Rebuff of SABMiller Ferments a Beer Bidding War

Foster's rebuff of SABMiller's takeover bid opens the door for a bidding war for one of the industry's few remaining prize assets.

Definition of precipitate in English:

verb

Pronunciation: /prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/ 

[WITH OBJECT]

1Cause (an event or situation, typically one that isundesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, orprematurely:the incident precipitated a political crisis

1.1[WITH OBJECT AND ADVERBIAL OF DIRECTION] Cause to move suddenly and with force:suddenly the ladder broke, precipitating them down into a heap

1.2(precipitate someone/thing into) Send someone or something suddenly into a particular state or condition:they were precipitated into a conflict for which they were quite unprepared

2Chemistry Cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution:cell proteins were then precipitated and washed in 10% trichloroacetic acid

2.1Cause (drops of moisture or particles of dust) to bedeposited from the atmosphere or from a vapour orsuspension:excess moisture is precipitated as rain, fog, mist, ordew

adjective

Pronunciation: /prɪˈsɪpɪtət/ 

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1Done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful consideration:I must apologize for my staff—their actions were precipitate

1.1Occurring suddenly or abruptly:a precipitate decline in Labour fortunes

noun

Pronunciation: /prɪˈsɪpɪtət/ 

 /prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/

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A substance precipitated from a solution.

turbulent

Line breaks: tur¦bu|lent

Pronunciation: /ˈtəːbjʊl(ə)nt/

Definition of turbulent in English:

ADJECTIVE

1Characterized by conflict, disorder, or confusion; notstable or calm:the country’s turbulent historyher turbulent emotions

1.1(Of air or water) moving unsteadily or violently:the turbulent sea

1.2technical Relating to or denoting flow of a fluid in which the velocity at any point fluctuatesirregularly and there is continual mixing rather than a steady or laminar flow pattern.

Origin

late middle english: from Latin turbulentus 'full of commotion', from turba 'crowd'.

ferment
(fûr'mĕnt')
n.

1. Something, such as a yeast, bacterium, mold, or enzyme, that causes fermentation.
2. Fermentation.
3. 1. A state of agitation or of turbulent change or development.
   2. An agent that precipitates or is capable of precipitating such a state; a catalyst.

v., -ment·ed, -ment·ing, -ments. (fər-mĕnt') v.tr.

1. To produce by or as if by fermentation.
2. To cause to undergo fermentation.
3. To make turbulent; excite or agitate.

v.intr.

1. To undergo fermentation.
2. To be in an excited or agitated state; seethe.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin fermentum.]

fermentability fer·ment'a·bil'i·ty n.
fermentable fer·ment'a·ble adj.

Word of the Day:
passito

[pah-SEE-toh] An Italian term used both for a method of making sweet wines and for the sweet wines made this way. Passito wines begin by laying freshly picked grapes on mats (or hanging them in bunches) so that they can partially dry. This process eliminates much of the grape's water and concentrates its sugar and flavor components. Depending on the technique used, the drying time can vary from several weeks (in the hot sun) to several months (in a cool ventilated room). When the grapes are crushed and fermentation begins, the sugar content is usually high enough to take the wine to a reasonable alcohol level (see alcohol by volume) and still end up with enough residual sugar to make these wines fairly sweet.