Temper Definition | Definition of Temper at Dictionary.com

tem⋅per

[tem-per]

–noun

1.	a particular state of mind or feelings.

2.	habit of mind, esp. with respect to irritability or patience, outbursts of anger, or the like; disposition: an even temper.

3.	heat of mind or passion, shown in outbursts of anger, resentment, etc.

4.	calm disposition or state of mind: to be out of temper.

5.	a substance added to something to modify its properties or qualities.

Metallurgy.

a.	the degree of hardness and strength imparted to a metal, as by quenching, heat treatment, or cold working.

b.	the percentage of carbon in tool steel.

c.	the operation of tempering.

7.	Archaic. a middle course; compromise.

8.	Obsolete. the constitution or character of a substance.

–verb (used with object)

9.	to moderate or mitigate: to temper justice with mercy.

10.	to soften or tone down.

11.	to bring to a proper, suitable, or desirable state by or as by blending or admixture.

12.	to moisten, mix, and work up into proper consistency, as clay or mortar.

13.	Metallurgy. to impart strength or toughness to (steel or cast iron) by heating and cooling.

14.	to produce internal stresses in (glass) by sudden cooling from low red heat; toughen.

15.	to tune (a keyboard instrument, as a piano, organ, or harpsichord) so as to make the tones available in different keys or tonalities.

16.	to modify (color) by mixing with a medium.

17.	Archaic. to combine or blend in due proportions.

18.	Archaic. to pacify.

–verb (used without object)

19.	to be or become tempered.

Origin:
bef. 1000; (v.) ME tempren, OE temprian < L temperāre to divide or proportion duly, temper; (n.) ME: proportion, deriv. of the v.

Related forms:

tem⋅per⋅a⋅ble, adjective

tem⋅per⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun

tem⋅per⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. nature, condition. 2. humor. See disposition. 3. irritation. 4. equanimity, coolness, composure. 10. See modify.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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tem·per (těm'pər)

v. tem·pered, tem·per·ing, tem·pers

v. tr.

To modify by the addition of a moderating element; moderate: "temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom" (Robert H. Jackson). See Synonyms at moderate.
To bring to a desired consistency, texture, hardness, or other physical condition by or as if by blending, admixing, or kneading: temper clay; paints that had been tempered with oil.
To harden or strengthen (metal or glass) by application of heat or by heating and cooling.
To strengthen through experience or hardship; toughen: soldiers who had been tempered by combat.
To adjust finely; attune: a portfolio that is tempered to the investor's needs.
Music To adjust (the pitch of an instrument) to a temperament.

v. intr.
To be or become tempered.
n.

A state of mind or emotions; disposition: an even temper. See Synonyms at mood¹.
Calmness of mind or emotions; composure: lose one's temper.
1. A tendency to become easily angry or irritable: a quick temper.
2. An outburst of rage: a fit of temper.
3. The condition of being tempered.
4. The degree of hardness and elasticity of a metal, chiefly steel, achieved by tempering.
A characteristic general quality; tone: heroes who exemplified the medieval temper; the politicized temper of the 1930s.
1. The condition of being tempered.
2. The degree of hardness and elasticity of a metal, chiefly steel, achieved by tempering.
A modifying substance or agent added to something else.
Archaic A middle course between extremes; a mean.

[Middle English temperen, from Old English temprian, from Latin temperāre, probably from variant of tempus, tempor-, time, season.]
tem'per·a·bil'i·ty n., tem'per·a·ble adj., tem'per·er n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

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.

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.

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.

Language Translation for : temper

Spanish: humor,

German: die Stimmung,

Japanese: 気分

More Translations »

temper (v.)

late O.E. temprian "to bring to a proper or suitable state, to modify some excessive quality, to restrain within due limits," from L. temperare "to mix correctly, moderate, regulate, blend," usually described as from tempus "time, season" (of unknown origin), with a sense of "proper time or season," but the sense history is obscure. Meaning "to make (steel) hard and elastic" is from c.1381. Sense of "to tune the pitch of a musical instrument" is recorded from c.1300.

temper (n.)

1387, "due proportion of elements or qualities," from temper (v.). The sense of "characteristic state of mind" is first recorded 1595; that of "calm state of mind" in 1603; and that of "angry state of mind" (for bad temper) in 1828. Meaning "degree of hardness and resiliency in steel" is from c.1470.

temper tem·per (těm'pər)
n.

A state of mind or emotions; mood.
A tendency to become easily angry or irritable.
An outburst of rage.

temper

see hold one's temper; lose one's temper.

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