effervesce, v.
(ɛfəˈvɛs)
[ad. L. effervesc-ĕre, f. ex out + fervesc-ĕre to begin to boil, inceptive vb. f. fervēre to be hot.]
† 1. intr. ‘To generate heat by intestine motion’ (J.); to break into violent chemical action.
| 1702 Mead Mech. Acc. Poisons (J.), The compound spirit of nitre, put to oil of cloves will effervesce even to a flame. 1748 Hartley Observ. Man i. iii. §2. 364 If these Corpuscles effervesce together..repulsive Powers may arise. |
2. To give off bubbles of gas, esp. as the result of chemical action; to bubble.
| 1784 Kirwan Min. 43 [Calcareous Grit] effervesces with acids. 1792 A. Young Trav. France 94 A vein of earth..which..did not effervesce with acids. 1805 W. Saunders Min. Wat. 166 Which, when mixed up with soda..effervesced and fused into a perfect glass. 1816 Accum Chem. Tests (1818) 281 The residue will..effervesce with dilute acids. 1846 G. E. Day tr. Simon's Anim. Chem. II. 28 Human gastric juice..effervesces on the addition of alkalies. |
b. Of the gas itself: To issue forth in bubbles.
| 1830 M. Donovan Dom. Econ. I. 173 As the carbonic acid effervesces away, the particles of yest..begin to sink. 1874 Lyell Elem. Geol. ii. 13 The carbonic acid..froths up or ‘effervesces’..in small bubbles through the drop of liquid. |
3. fig.
| 1850 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. ix. 65 A number of..juveniles..were effervescing in all those modes of..gambol and mischief. 1871 R. H. Hutton Ess. II. 337 No period could be found when mingling faith and culture effervesced with more curious results. |
4. trans. rare. To stir up, excite, exhilarate.
| 1866 Harvard Mem. Biog., G. W. Batchelder II. 6 The steady, regular tramp of the marching thousands effervesced our spirits. |