Definition of temper Temper

/tɛˈmpɚ/ - [temper] - tem•per

We found 35 definitions of temper from 6 different sources.

What does temper mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: tempers
temper - 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"
		mood, humor, humour
		feeling the experiencing of affective and emotional states; "she had a feeling of euphoria"; "he had terrible feelings of guilt"; "I disliked him and the feeling was mutual"
		peeve an annoyed or irritated mood
		sulk, sulkiness a mood or display of sullen aloofness or withdrawal; "stayed home in a sulk"
		good humor, good humour, good temper, amiability a cheerful and agreeable mood
temper - a disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger; "his temper was well known to all his employees"
		biliousness, irritability, peevishness, pettishness, snappishness, surliness
		ill nature a disagreeable, irritable, or malevolent disposition
temper - the elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking
		toughness
		elasticity, snap the tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed; "the waistband had lost its snap"
temper - a sudden outburst of anger; "his temper sparked like damp firewood"
		pique, irritation
		chafe, vexation, annoyance soreness and warmth caused by friction; "he had a nasty chafe on his knee"
Verb tempers, tempering, tempered
temper - harden by reheating and cooling in oil; "temper steel"
		harden
		modify make less severe or harsh or extreme; "please modify this letter to make it more polite"; "he modified his views on same-gender marriage"
temper - make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate; "she tempered her criticism"
		season, mollify
		weaken become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days"
temper - adjust the pitch (of pianos)
		adjust, correct, set adapt or conform oneself to new or different conditions; "We must adjust to the bad economic situation"
temper - restrain
		chasten, moderate
		modify, alter, change make less severe or harsh or extreme; "please modify this letter to make it more polite"; "he modified his views on same-gender marriage"
temper - bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling; "temper glass"
		anneal, normalize
		indurate, harden become fixed or established; "indurated customs"

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Wiktionary

temper (Noun)
A tendency to be of a certain type of mood.
temper (Noun)
State of mind.
temper (Noun)
The heat treatment to which a metal or other material has been subjected; a material that has undergone a particular heat treatment.
temper (Verb)
To moderate or control.
temper (Verb)
To heat-treat a material, especially metal or chocolate.
temper (Verb)
To mix clay, plaster or mortar with water to obtain the proper consistency.
temper (Verb)
To combine in due proportions; to constitute; to compose.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

temper (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.
temper (v. t.)
To fit together; to adjust; to accomodate.
temper (v. t.)
To bring to a proper degree of hardness; as, to temper iron or steel.
temper (v. t.)
To govern; to manage.
temper (v. t.)
To moisten to a proper consistency and stir thoroughly, as clay for making brick, loam for molding, etc.
temper (v. t.)
To adjust, as the mathematical scale to the actual scale, or to that in actual use.
temper (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.
temper (n.)
Constitution of body; temperament; in old writers, the mixture or relative proportion of the four humors, blood, choler, phlegm, and melancholy.
temper (n.)
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.
temper (n.)
Calmness of mind; moderation; equanimity; composure; as, to keep one's temper.
temper (n.)
Heat of mind or passion; irritation; proneness to anger; -- in a reproachful sense.
temper (n.)
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.
temper (n.)
Middle state or course; mean; medium.
temper (n.)
Milk of lime, or other substance, employed in the process formerly used to clarify sugar.
temper (v. i.)
To accord; to agree; to act and think in conformity.
temper (v. i.)
To have or get a proper or desired state or quality; to grow soft and pliable.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

temper
tem′pėr, v.t. to mix in due proportion: to modify by blending or mixture: to moderate: to soften: to bring to a proper degree of hardness and elasticity, as steel: to amend or adjust, as a false or imperfect concord.—n. due mixture or balance or different or contrary qualities: state of a metal as to hardness, &c.: constitution of the body: constitutional frame or state of mind, esp. with regard to feelings, disposition, temperament, mood: passion, irritation: calmness or moderation: in sugar-works lime or other substance used to neutralise the acidity of cane-juice.—adjs. Tem′perable, capable of being tempered; Tem′pered, having a certain specified disposition or temper: brought to a certain temper, as steel: (mus.) tuned or adjusted to some mean, or to equal, temperament.—adv. Tem′peredly.—ns. Tem′perer; Tem′pering, the process of giving the required degree of hardness or softness to iron or steel, by heating to redness and cooling in different ways. [L. temperāre, to combine properly, allied to tempus, time.]

Foolish DictionaryThe Foolish Dictionary 🤡

temper
A quality, the loss of which is likely to make a knife blade dull and a woman's tongue sharp.

Part of speech

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temper, verb, present, 1st person singular of temper (infinitive).
temper, verb (infinitive).
temper, noun, singular of tempers.

Pronunciation

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Sign Language

temper in sign language