temper English · revision 39508

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=Old English, Blickling Glosses|origins=la temperō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * UK: /ˈtɛmpə/^(Wiktionary)

+ * US: /ˈtɛmpɚ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|temperen]] or [[m|enm|tempren]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2024) [[inh|ang|temprian|t=to mix in due proportion; to moderate]],^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002)^(Barnhart 1988) [[bor|la|temperō|t=to mix in due proportion; to moderate, restrain oneself]].^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002)^(AHD 2024) Its senses were probably shaped by [[fro|temprer]] (modern [[fr|tremper]] and [[m|fr|tempérer]]), which comes from the same Latin verb;^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) Old Saxon borrowed it too, as [[m|osx|temperon]].^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002) The Latin verb is usually derived from [[m|la|tempus|t=time, season, proper time]], so that it first meant to mix in due proportion,^(Ayto 2005)^(AHD 2024)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) but the OED notes that the history of both words is prehistoric and obscure, and Etymonline suggests that, since the root sense of ''tempus'' seems to be "stretch", the sense "restrain" may come from a shift from stretching to measuring.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) [[tamper]] is a differentiated form of the same verb.^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As a verb, to bring something to a proper condition by mixing it with something else, to dilute: Old English, in the Blickling Glosses;^(OED 2026) to moderate, about 1000, in Ælfric's Homilies.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 2026) The noun, due proportion or balance of elements, is first found before 1387, in Trevisa's translation of Higden's ''Polychronicon''.^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old English already used the verb to moderate, to restrain, to regulate or govern, and to restore to health (until 1613).^(OED 2026) The technical sense, bringing clay, paint and later steel to the right condition for working, is found probably before 1300 and may owe something to French;^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline dates the hardening of steel to the late 14th century and the tuning of an instrument to about 1300.^(Etymonline) The noun first referred to the mixture of the bodily humours, and Trench explains that a happy ''temper'' was the blending of the four humours in due proportion.^(Trench 1859)^(ODE 2010)^(Etymonline) Johnson (1755) still defined it first as a due mixture of contrary qualities.^(Johnson 1755) The humours were thought to decide a person's nature, so ''temper'' came to mean a characteristic state of mind (1595), then calmness or composure (1603);^(Barnhart 1988) the OED has composure from 1611, in Ben Jonson, and mental constitution from Shakespeare.^(OED 2026) According to Ayto, the sense "set of mental traits" has largely passed to [[temperament]].^(Ayto 2005) The meaning "angry state of mind" is recorded from 1828,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) so that, as Weekley observed, ''to be in a temper'' means the same as its logical opposite ''to be out of temper''.^(Weekley 1921) The hardness of tempered steel is called its ''temper'' from 1488^(OED 2026) (Etymonline: the mid-15th century).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Old English – to bring to a proper condition by mixing.^(OED 2026)

+ * c. 1000 – ''temprian'', to moderate, in Ælfric.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – to tune a musical instrument.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1300 – to bring clay or paint to a working condition.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * a1387 – noun, due proportion of elements.^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – to harden steel.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1488 – noun, the hardness and elasticity of steel.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1595 – characteristic state of mind.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1603 – calm state of mind;^(Barnhart 1988) 1611 in the OED.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1828 – an angry state of mind.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A frame of mind; [[mood]]: ''She was in a cheerful temper all morning.''^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)

+ # A sudden fit of anger; a [[tantrum]].^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)

+ # A tendency to become angry easily: ''He has quite a temper.''^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)

+ # [[composure|alt=Composure]] or self-control, especially in ''keep one's temper'' and ''lose one's temper''.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # The degree of hardness and [[elasticity]] of [[steel]] or another metal.^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make something less harsh or extreme by adding something else; to [[moderate]]: ''The coach tempered his criticism with praise.''^(Collins 2023)^(AHD 2024)

+ # To bring a substance such as clay or paint to the right consistency by mixing or kneading.^(AHD 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # To harden and toughen steel or another metal by reheating and then cooling it.^(COED 2004)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[temperability]]

+ * [[temperable]]

+ * [[temperer]]

+ * [[bad-tempered]]

+ * [[even-tempered]]

+ * [[good-tempered]]

+ * [[hot-tempered]]

+ * [[ill-tempered]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[distemper]]

+ * [[temperament]]

+ * [[temperance]]

+ * [[temperate]]

+ * [[temperature]]

+ * [[tamper]]

+ * [[tempera]]

+ * [[temporal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In dialect the verb kept its old sense "to mix to the right consistency": in Suffolk mortar was ''tempered'' with sand or water, in West Yorkshire butter was ''tempered'' to soften it for spreading, and in Wiltshire dripping was ''tempered down'' by melting it with water.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}