tame
B1neutral (appropriate in formal and informal contexts)
Definition
Meaning
to make a wild animal obedient and not afraid of people; to bring something under control or make it less powerful/exciting.
Can describe something that is domesticated, docile, or lacking in excitement, originality, or wildness (e.g., a tame party, a tame political opponent). Also used in mathematics/physics to describe a problem that is manageable or solvable.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The concept inherently involves a transition from a wild, uncontrolled, or exciting state to a controlled, safe, or less interesting one. It implies a loss of natural or original vitality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical. Minor differences in collocational frequency (e.g., 'tame' vs. 'domesticate' in technical animal husbandry contexts).
Connotations
Slight preference in British English for 'tame' in describing unadventurous landscapes or personalities. In American English, 'tame' might be used more bluntly for criticism (e.g., 'a tame reporter').
Frequency
Comparable frequency. Both use 'tame' as verb and adjective extensively.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SVO: They tamed the wolf.SVOA: He tamed the horse with patience.Copula S Adj: The bear seems tame.Passive: The river was tamed by engineers.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “tame the shrew”
- “tame as a pussycat”
- “tame the dragon”
- “tame the beast within”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to controlling variables like 'tame costs', 'tame market volatility'.
Academic
Used in biology (tame vs. wild strains), sociology (tame protests), and mathematics (tame problems).
Everyday
Used for pets, hair, gardens, and describing boring events or people.
Technical
In engineering: 'tame a river'; in computing: 'tame complexity'; in ecology: 'tame population'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The falconer worked for months to tame the young hawk.
- The government promised to tame the soaring energy prices.
- She used a special conditioner to tame her frizzy hair.
American English
- They successfully tamed a section of the wild river for kayaking.
- The new manager's first job was to tame the chaotic schedule.
- It's nearly impossible to tame that stretch of desert for farming.
adverb
British English
- Not standard. Use 'in a tame manner' or similar phrasing.
American English
- Not standard. Use 'in a tame manner' or similar phrasing.
adjective
British English
- The hedgehog in the garden centre was surprisingly tame.
- After the scandal, the newspaper published only a very tame critique.
- The Devon countryside is beautiful but rather tame compared to the Scottish Highlands.
American English
- The bear looked tame, but park rangers warned it was dangerous.
- The movie's plot was predictable and tame, lacking any real suspense.
- His political opponents called his proposals tame and ineffective.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My rabbit is very tame and likes to be petted.
- The lion in the zoo looks tame.
- It took years to tame the wild forest and turn it into a park.
- The film's ending was too tame for my liking.
- Economists are debating how best to tame the rampant inflation.
- Her once-wild artistic style has become somewhat tame in recent exhibitions.
- The revolutionary movement was gradually tamed and absorbed into the political mainstream.
- He presented a tamed version of the controversial data to the committee.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TAME lion in a cage; it's not the same as a wild one.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURE/INSTINCT IS WILD; CULTURE/CONTROL IS TAME. Ideas and emotions can also be 'tamed'.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not directly equivalent to 'ручной' which is more 'hand-held/manual'. Closer to 'прирученный' or 'укрощённый'. Avoid using 'tame' for 'спокойный' (calm) in all contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'tame' instead of 'train' for complex learned behaviors (e.g., 'He tamed the dog to fetch' is less accurate). Confusing 'tame' (adjective) with 'tamed' (verb participle) in passive constructions.
- Incorrect: 'The film was very tameful.' Correct: 'The film was very tame.'
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'tame' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Domesticate' refers to a long-term, multi-generational biological process for species (e.g., dogs, wheat). 'Tame' refers to the behavioral process for an individual animal or, metaphorically, any uncontrolled force.
Yes, but it can be offensive as it compares a person to an animal. It's safer used metaphorically (e.g., 'tame one's temper') or in clearly metaphorical criticism (e.g., 'a tame politician').
It is neutral for its literal meaning (a tame animal is safe). It is often negative in its metaphorical use, implying dullness, lack of freedom, or excessive control (a tame party, a tame opinion).
Common collocates include: animal, beast, lion, version, ending, response, landscape, critic, imitation, suburb.