barm n1 Also sp barme [OE beorma, preserved also in Engl dial] NEast
Yeast.
1746 Boston Eve.-Post (MA) 10 Nov [2]/2, A Method to preserve a large Stock of Barm, or Yeast, which will keep and be of use for several Months. 1821 Plough Boy 3.136 NY, To make Barm when very scarce.—Boil one pint of good flour and a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, and a little salt, in two gallons of water, for an hour. When milk warm, bottle and cork it close. It will be fit for use in 24 hours. One pint of this will be sufficient for 18 pounds of bread. 1859 Elwyn Glossary 20, Barme, yeast. . . is in common use, in New England. 1975 Gould ME Lingo 5, The barm was carefully kept alive and was handed mother to daughter at weddings. Mainers never used the word sourdough too much, although they knew what it was, but their barm-bread was essentially the sourdough of the western prospectors.