Library / English Dictionary

TEMPER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger

Example:

his temper was well known to all his employees

Synonyms:

biliousness; irritability; peevishness; pettishness; snappishness; surliness; temper

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("temper" is a kind of...):

ill nature (a disagreeable, irritable, or malevolent disposition)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "temper"):

querulousness (the quality of being given to complaining)

Derivation:

temper (change by restraining or moderating)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

temper; toughness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("temper" is a kind of...):

elasticity; snap (the tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed)

Derivation:

temper (harden by reheating and cooling in oil)

temper (bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A sudden outburst of anger

Example:

his temper sparked like damp firewood

Synonyms:

irritation; pique; temper

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("temper" is a kind of...):

annoyance; chafe; vexation (anger produced by some annoying irritation)

Derivation:

temper (change by restraining or moderating)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

Example:

he was in a bad humor

Synonyms:

humor; humour; mood; temper

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("temper" is a kind of...):

feeling (the experiencing of affective and emotional states)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "temper"):

peeve (an annoyed or irritated mood)

sulk; sulkiness (a mood or display of sullen aloofness or withdrawal)

amiability; good humor; good humour; good temper (a cheerful and agreeable mood)

distemper; ill humor; ill humour (an angry and disagreeable mood)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Change by restraining or moderating

Synonyms:

chasten; temper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "temper" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

temper (a disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger)

temper (a sudden outburst of anger)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else

Example:

she tempered her criticism

Synonyms:

moderate; mollify; season; temper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "temper" is one way to...):

weaken (lessen the strength of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Adjust the pitch (of pianos)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "temper" is one way to...):

adjust; correct; set (alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Harden by reheating and cooling in oil

Example:

temper steel

Synonyms:

harden; temper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "temper" is one way to...):

modify (make less severe or harsh or extreme)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

temper (the elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking)

temperance (the act of tempering)

tempering (hardening something by heat treatment)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling

Example:

temper glass

Synonyms:

anneal; normalize; temper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "temper" is one way to...):

harden; indurate (make hard or harder)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

temper (the elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking)

temperance (the act of tempering)

tempering (hardening something by heat treatment)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The she-wolf had by now developed a ferocious temper.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

"You'd come bringing it home under your arm without any paper, just to try me. I'll go myself," answered Amy, whose temper was beginning to fail.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“I did not think you had been so obstinate, Catherine,” said James; “you were not used to be so hard to persuade; you once were the kindest, best-tempered of my sisters.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

You are so good, and so sweet-tempered.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

If this is your present temper, my friend, you will perhaps be glad to see a letter that has been lying here some days for you; it is from your cousin, I believe.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

This little whiff of temper seemed to cool Silver down.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

“You may lose what you like in there, save only your nerve or your temper,” my uncle continued.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He was in a savage temper, and, standing over six feet from the ground, was as formidable an antagonist as even Buck could desire.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Mate lost temper with one of them that day and struck him. Expected fierce quarrel, but all was quiet.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This little spirit of temper was somewhat of a relief to Mr. Utterson.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)