tempered Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. verb bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling
   normalize; anneal; temper.
   
   • temper glass
2. verb harden by reheating and cooling in oil
   harden; temper.
   
   • temper steel
3. verb adjust the pitch (of pianos)
   temper.
   
4. verb make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate
   season; temper; mollify.
   
   • she tempered her criticism
5. verb restrain
   moderate; chasten; temper.
   
6. adjective made hard or flexible or resilient especially by heat treatment
   hardened; treated; toughened.
   
   • a sword of tempered steel
   • tempered glass
7. adjective adjusted or attuned by adding a counterbalancing element
   
   • criticism tempered with kindly sympathy

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