fervent

What it means

1. Very hot; burning, scorching; also, glowing with heat.

   Again my Thoughts to Thee [Jesus] aſpire / In fervent Flames of ſtrong Deſire.

   1739, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, “A Morning Dedication of Ourselves to Christ. From the German.”, in Hymns and Sacred Poems, London: […] William Strahan; and sold by James Hutton, […]; and at Mr. Bray’s, […], →OCLC, part II, stanza I, page 179

   2 more examples

   Lo here hath euery fayth[f]ull man a ſure promiſe, yͭ in the feruent heate of tentacion or tribulacion […] God gyueth the faythful man yͭ hopeth in him, yͭ ſhadow of hys holy ſhoulders, which are brode ⁊ large, ſufficient to refrigerate ⁊ refreſhe the man in that heate, and in euerye trybulacion he putteth hys ſhoulders for a defence betwene.

   1534 (date written; published 1553), Thomas More, “A Dyalogue of Comforte agaynste Tribulacyon, […]. A Special Comfort in Al Temptacion.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book II, page 1179, column 1

   But the day of the Lord wil come as a thiefe in the night; in the which the heauens ſhall paſſe away with a great noiſe, and the Elements ſhall melt with feruent heate, the earth alſo and the works that are therin ſhalbe burnt vp.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Peter 3:10, signature [Y6], recto, column 2

   Synonyms: fervid

2. obsoleteOf cold: intense, severe.

   1 more example

   [A] feruent colde countrey, vnder whiche a colde ſeaſon ſhulde be comprehended, whiche alſo letteth bloud lettyng: for in a countrey and ſeaſon very colde, the blud is cloſed in the depeſt partis of the body, and the bloud that tarieth in the vtter partis, the colde makethe thycke, whiche to voide is no wyſedome.

   Governance of Hygiene of Salerno

   1528, [Joannes de Mediolano, Arnaldus de Villa Nova], translated by Thomas Paynell, Regimen Sanitatis Salerni. […] [Governance of Hygiene of Salerno], London: […] Tho. Bertheleti [Thomas Berthelet] […], published 1541, →OCLC, folio 106, recto

3. historicalobsoletepharmacyOf a drug: having an abundance of heat as one of the four qualities believed to be characteristic of all things; hot rather than cold, dry, or moist.

   The common Camomill is of complexion hoate and dry, and not ſo feruent as the Romaine Camomill, but more pleaſant and gentill.

   1578, Rembert Dodoens, “Of Wilde or Common Camomill”, in Henry Lyte, transl., A Niewe Herball, or Historie of Plantes: […], London: […] [Henry [i.e., Hendrik van der] Loë for] Gerard Dewes, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Pleasant and Sweete Smelling Floures, Herbes and Seedes, and Suche Like), page 187

In a sentence

Lo here hath euery fayth[f]ull man a ſure promiſe, yͭ in the feruent heate of tentacion or tribulacion […] God gyueth the faythful man yͭ hopeth in him, yͭ ſhadow of hys holy ſhoulders, which are brode ⁊ large, ſufficient to refrigerate ⁊ refreſhe the man in that heate, and in euerye trybulacion he putteth hys ſhoulders for a defence betwene.

1534 (date written; published 1553), Thomas More, “A Dyalogue of Comforte agaynste Tribulacyon, […]. A Special Comfort in Al Temptacion.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book II, page 1179, column 1

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰrewh₁-“to boil; to brew”
2. Latinferventem
3. Old Frenchfervent
4. Middle Englishfervent
5. Englishfervent

From Middle English fervent, from Old French fervent (modern French fervent), from Latin ferventem, the accusative masculine or feminine singular form of fervēns (“burning, fiery; hot; zealous; etc.”), the present active participle of ferveō (“to burn; to be hot; (figurative) to be agitated, fired up, or inflamed; etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (“to boil; to brew”).