temper
B2Formal and informal. The noun is common in everyday and literary contexts. The verb in its 'moderate' sense is formal; its 'strengthen metal' sense is technical.
Definition
Meaning
a person's state of mind, particularly regarding anger or calmness; to moderate or soften something.
Refers to one's habitual emotional disposition, especially proneness to anger ('a quick temper'). As a verb, it means to strengthen or toughen a material (like steel) through heating and cooling, or to moderate/soften the effects of something (e.g., 'temper justice with mercy').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun has a dual semantic field: 1) emotional state (often negative: anger), 2) the hardness/elasticity of a substance (technical). The verb's meanings correspond: 1) to moderate/soften, 2) to harden/toughen (via a process). This creates an interesting auto-antonym relationship.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical differences. The technical verb sense (metallurgy) is identical. The phrase 'lose one's temper' is universal.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with a 'fiery' or 'artistic' disposition in UK literary contexts. In US contexts, 'bad temper' may be more directly linked to interpersonal conflict.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both dialects. The verb sense 'to moderate' might be slightly more frequent in formal UK English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] has a [ADJ] temper[NP] lost [POSS] temper[NP] tempers [NP] with [NP] (e.g., justice with mercy)[NP] is tempered (by [NP])Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “lose one's temper”
- “keep one's temper”
- “a quick/fiery temper”
- “temper tantrum”
- “temper justice with mercy”
- “temper the wind to the shorn lamb”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to discuss emotional intelligence, e.g., 'He needs to control his temper in meetings.'
Academic
Used in psychology (emotional regulation), history ('the temper of the age'), and materials science ('tempered glass').
Everyday
Commonly used to describe someone's anger, e.g., 'She has a bit of a temper.'
Technical
Metallurgy: 'tempered steel'; Glassmaking: 'tempered glass'; Cooking/Baking: 'to temper chocolate/eggs.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- He's known for his frightful temper, especially when the train is delayed.
- She possesses a remarkably even temper, even under immense pressure.
American English
- He has a really quick temper when someone criticises his work.
- The coach's fiery temper is legendary in the league.
verb
British English
- The judge sought to temper justice with a measure of compassion.
- The blade was expertly tempered to achieve the perfect balance of hardness and flexibility.
American English
- We need to temper our excitement with a dose of realism.
- The glass is thermally tempered for safety, causing it to shatter into small pieces.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The child has a bad temper.
- Please don't lose your temper.
- She struggled to control her temper during the argument.
- Chocolate must be tempered correctly or it will have white streaks.
- His volatile temper made him difficult to work with.
- The optimism of the early reports was tempered by subsequent data.
- The novel captures the revolutionary temper of the era.
- The alloy is tempered at a precise temperature to enhance its tensile strength.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of TEMPER as TEMP (temporary) + ER. A bad temper is often a temporary emotional state that flares up (like a temporary eruption - TEMP ERuption).
Conceptual Metaphor
ANGER IS A HOT FLUID IN A CONTAINER ('He was boiling with anger, but kept his temper in check.'). MODERATION IS TEMPERING ('Tempered optimism' suggests optimism made more resilient/realistic).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'температура' (temperature). The Russian word 'темперамент' is a false friend—it means 'temperament' (personality type), not a temporary angry state. 'Темпера' is a painting technique (tempera).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'temper' as a direct synonym for 'mood' in all contexts (it strongly implies anger). Confusing verb meanings ('tempering steel' hardens it, but 'tempering criticism' softens it). Incorrect preposition: 'He lost temper' (must be 'his temper').
Practice
Quiz
In which field does 'temper' specifically mean 'to heat and cool to increase toughness'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but that is its most common usage. It can also mean a general state of mind ('in a good temper') and has specific technical meanings in metallurgy and cooking.
It can mean both 'to strengthen/harden' (as in tempered steel) and 'to soften/moderate' (as in tempering criticism). The context makes the meaning clear.
'Temper' usually refers to a temporary or habitual anger state. 'Temperament' refers to a person's innate, consistent personality and emotional nature (e.g., sanguine temperament).
Primarily for children. When used for adults, it is deliberately metaphorical and derogatory, implying childish, uncontrolled anger.