Aerating

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Aerate \A"["e]r*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {A["e]rated}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {A["e]rating}.] [Cf. F. a['e]rer. See {Air}, v. t.]
     1. To combine or charge with gas; usually with carbonic acid
        gas, formerly called fixed air.
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              His sparkling sallies bubbled up as from a["e]rated
              natural fountains.                    --Carlyle.
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     2. To supply or impregnate with common air; as, to a["e]rate
        soil; to a["e]rate water.
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     3. (Physiol.) To expose to the chemical action of air; to
        oxygenate (the blood) by respiration; to arterialize.
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     4. cause a change by passing air through (of sewage)
  
     Syn: activate
          [WordNet 1.5]
  
     {A["e]rated bread}, bread raised by charging dough with
        carbonic acid gas, instead of generating the gas in the
        dough by fermentation.
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