Lexic.us

Definition of Temper

1. Noun. A sudden outburst of anger. "His temper sparked like damp firewood"

2. Verb. Bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling. "Temper glass"

3. Noun. A characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling. "He was in a bad humor"

4. Verb. Harden by reheating and cooling in oil. "Temper steel"

5. Noun. A disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger. "His temper was well known to all his employees"

6. Verb. Adjust the pitch (of pianos).

7. Noun. The elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking.

8. Verb. Make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate. "She tempered her criticism"

9. Verb. Restrain.

Definition of Temper

1. v. t. 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.

2. n. 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.

3. v. i. To accord; to agree; to act and think in conformity.

Definition of Temper

1. Noun. A tendency to be of a certain type of mood. ¹

2. Noun. State of mind. ¹

3. Noun. The heat treatment to which a metal or other material has been subjected; a material that has undergone a particular heat treatment. ¹

4. Verb. To moderate or control. ¹

5. Verb. To heat-treat a material, especially metal or chocolate. ¹

6. Verb. To mix clay, plaster or mortar with water to obtain the proper consistency ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Temper

1. to moderate by adding a counterbalancing agent [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Temper

1. 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. 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. "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. 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. Synonym: Disposition, temperament, frame, humor, mood. See Disposition. 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 colours." (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. 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. "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. To adjust, as the mathematical scale to the actual scale, or to that in actual use. Synonym: To soften, mollify, assuage, soothe, calm. Origin: AS. Temprian or OF. Temper, F. Temperer, and (in sense 3) temper, L. Temperare, akin to tempus time. Cf. Temporal, Distemper, Tamper. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Temper

temerariousness temeration temerities temeritous temerity temerous temes temnospondyl temnospondyls temoporfin

temozolomide temp temped tempeh tempehs temper (current term) temper'd temper tantrum temper tantrums tempera

temperable temperament temperamental temperamentalities temperamentality temperamentally temperaments temperance temperances temperancy

Literary usage of Temper

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. George Eliot's Works by George Eliot (1894)
"ONLY temper. WHAT is temper? Its primary meaning, the proportion and mode in which qualities are mingled, is much neglected in popular speech, yet even here ..."

2. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Standard Work of Reference in Art, Literature (1907)
"The temper of revolt against authority seems indeed^ to belong to that energy which succeeds in the modern development of the great racial struggle for life ..."

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