You searched for: “tempers
temper (s) (noun), tempers (pl)
1. A state of mind or emotions; a disposition: Karen has a calm, tranquil, and even temper both at home and at work.
2. Calmness of mind or emotions; composure: Jim never wanted to lose his temper, especially when he was playing sports.
3. A tendency to become easily angry or irritable: Diane has a quick temper whenever she argues about politics.
4. An outburst of rage: After having a heated argument with his boss, Jack left in a fit of temper.
5. The degree of hardness and elasticity of a metal: The temper of steel is achieved by a special process.
6. Archaic. a middle course of action between extremes: In Ted's family, the mother was the temper between her children and their father when it came to making decisions about cleaning up the house.
7. Etymology: derived from Latin teperare, "to mix in proportion, to combine properly, to moderate"; from tempous, genitive of temparis, "time".
This entry is located in the following unit: tempo-, tempor-, temp- (page 3)
temper (verb), tempers; tempered; tempering
1. To modify by the addition of a moderating element; to moderate: The teacher tempered her criticism of Tom's essay with a few words of encouragement.
2. To bring to a desired consistency, texture, hardness, or other physical condition by or as if by blending: In order to have the right color for painting his picture, Tim tempered it with some oil to make the consistency and color better.
3. To harden or to strengthen metal or glass by an application of heat or by heating and cooling: In order to make the horseshoes for his customers, the blacksmith at the outdoor museum had to temper the steel in order to hammer it to the correct size.
4. To strengthen through experience or hardship; to toughen: There are soldiers who have been tempered by combat.
5. To adjust finely, to attune: Mark developed a portfolio that is tempered to the investor's needs and desires.
5. Etymology: from Middle English temprien, tempren, from Old English temprian, "to moderate, to regulate, to mingle", and Old French temprer (French temperer), which both derive from Latin temperare, "to mix in due proportion, to combine properly, to moderate, to regulate", probably from temper-, a variant of tempor- stem of tempus, "time, pertaining to time, a season".

This entry is located in the following unit: tempo-, tempor-, temp- (page 3)