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tempermore about temper

temper


  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Temper  \Tem"per\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Tempered};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Tempering}.]  [AS.  temprian  or  OF  temper,  F.  temp['e]rer, 
  and  (in  sense  3)  temper,  L.  temperare,  akin  to  tempus  time. 
  Cf  {Temporal},  {Distemper},  {Tamper}.] 
  1.  To  mingle  in  due  proportion;  to  prepare  by  combining;  to 
  modify,  as  by  adding  some  new  element;  to  qualify,  as  by 
  an  ingredient;  hence  to  soften;  to  mollify;  to  assuage; 
  to  soothe;  to  calm. 
 
  Puritan  austerity  was  so  tempered  by  Dutch 
  indifference,  that  mercy  itself  could  not  have 
  dictated  a  milder  system.  --Bancroft. 
 
  Woman!  lovely  woman!  nature  made  thee  To  temper  man: 
  we  had  been  brutes  without  you  --Otway. 
 
  But  thy  fire  Shall  be  more  tempered,  and  thy  hope 
  far  higher.  --Byron. 
 
  She  [the  Goddess  of  Justice]  threw  darkness  and 
  clouds  about  her  that  tempered  the  light  into  a 
  thousand  beautiful  shades  and  colors.  --Addison. 
 
  2.  To  fit  together;  to  adjust  to  accomodate. 
 
  Thy  sustenance  .  .  .  serving  to  the  appetite  of  the 
  eater,  tempered  itself  to  every  man's  liking. 
  --Wisdom  xvi. 
  21. 
 
  3.  (Metal.)  To  bring  to  a  proper  degree  of  hardness;  as  to 
  temper  iron  or  steel. 
 
  The  tempered  metals  clash,  and  yield  a  silver  sound. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  4.  To  govern;  to  manage.  [A  Latinism  &  Obs.] 
 
  With  which  the  damned  ghosts  he  governeth  And 
  furies  rules  and  Tartare  tempereth  --Spenser. 
 
  5.  To  moisten  to  a  proper  consistency  and  stir  thoroughly,  as 
  clay  for  making  brick,  loam  for  molding,  etc 
 
  6.  (Mus.)  To  adjust  as  the  mathematical  scale  to  the  actual 
  scale,  or  to  that  in  actual  use 
 
  Syn:  To  soften;  mollify;  assuage;  soothe;  calm. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Temper  \Tem"per\,  n. 
  1.  The  state  of  any  compound  substance  which  results  from  the 
  mixture  of  various  ingredients;  due  mixture  of  different 
  qualities;  just  combination;  as  the  temper  of  mortar. 
 
  2.  Constitution  of  body;  temperament;  in  old  writers,  the 
  mixture  or  relative  proportion  of  the  four  humors,  blood, 
  choler,  phlegm,  and  melancholy. 
 
  The  exquisiteness  of  his  [Christ's]  bodily  temper 
  increased  the  exquisiteness  of  his  torment. 
  --Fuller. 
 
  3.  Disposition  of  mind;  the  constitution  of  the  mind, 
  particularly  with  regard  to  the  passions  and  affections; 
  as  a  calm  temper;  a  hasty  temper;  a  fretful  temper. 
 
  Remember  with  what  mild  And  gracious  temper  he  both 
  heared  and  judged.  --Milton. 
 
  The  consequents  of  a  certain  ethical  temper.  --J.  H. 
  Newman. 
 
  4.  Calmness  of  mind;  moderation;  equanimity;  composure;  as 
  to  keep  one's  temper. 
 
  To  fall  with  dignity,  with  temper  rise.  --Pope. 
 
  Restore  yourselves  to  your  tempers,  fathers.  --B. 
  Jonson 
 
  5.  Heat  of  mind  or  passion;  irritation;  proneness  to  anger; 
  --  in  a  reproachful  sense  [Colloq.] 
 
  6.  The  state  of  a  metal  or  other  substance,  especially  as  to 
  its  hardness,  produced  by  some  process  of  heating  or 
  cooling;  as  the  temper  of  iron  or  steel. 
 
  7.  Middle  state  or  course;  mean  medium.  [R.] 
 
  The  perfect  lawgiver  is  a  just  temper  between  the 
  mere  man  of  theory,  who  can  see  nothing  but  general 
  principles,  and  the  mere  man  of  business,  who  can 
  see  nothing  but  particular  circumstances. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  8.  (Sugar  Works)  Milk  of  lime,  or  other  substance,  employed 
  in  the  process  formerly  used  to  clarify  sugar. 
 
  {Temper  screw},  in  deep  well  boring,  an  adjusting  screw 
  connecting  the  working  beam  with  the  rope  carrying  the 
  tools,  for  lowering  the  tools  as  the  drilling  progresses. 
 
  Syn:  Disposition;  temperament;  frame;  humor;  mood.  See 
  {Disposition}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Temper  \Tem"per\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  accord;  to  agree;  to  act  and  think  in  conformity. 
  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  have  or  get  a  proper  or  desired  state  or  quality;  to 
  grow  soft  and  pliable. 
 
  I  have  him  already  tempering  between  my  finger  and 
  my  thumb,  and  shortly  will  I  seal  with  him  --Shak. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  temper 
  n  1:  a  sudden  outburst  of  anger;  "his  temper  sparked  like  damp 
  firewood"  [syn:  {pique},  {irritation}] 
  2:  a  characteristic  (habitual  or  relatively  temporary)  state  of 
  feeling;  "whether  he  praised  or  cursed  me  depended  on  his 
  temper  at  the  time";  "he  was  in  a  bad  humor"  [syn:  {mood}, 
  {humor},  {humour}] 
  3:  a  disposition  to  exhibit  uncontrolled  anger;  "his  temper  was 
  well  known  to  all  his  employees"  [syn:  {biliousness},  {irritability}, 
  {peevishness},  {pettishness},  {snappishness},  {surliness}] 
  4:  the  elasticity  and  hardness  of  a  metal  object;  its  ability 
  to  absorb  considerable  energy  before  cracking  [syn:  {toughness}] 
  v  1:  anneal  or  toughen  by  a  process  of  gradually  heating  and 
  cooling;  "temper  glass"  [syn:  {anneal}] 
  2:  harden  by  reheating  and  cooling  in  oil;  "temper  steel"  [syn: 
  {harden}] 
  3:  adjust  the  pitch  (of  pianos) 
  4:  make  more  temperate,  acceptable,  or  suitable  by  adding 
  something  else;  moderate;  "she  tempered  her  criticism" 
  [syn:  {season}] 
  5:  restrain  or  temper  [syn:  {chasten},  {moderate}] 




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