# temper

/ˈtɛmpɝ/ (US) · /tˈɛmpɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/temper
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. tendency to get angry

noun · CEFR B2

the tendency to become angry very quickly.

For teachers: a person's state of mind regarding their susceptibility to anger or irritability.

- He has a very short temper and starts shouting when things go wrong.
- The manager was known for his volatile temper, which often led to impulsive decisions during high-pressure meetings.

### 2. a fit of anger

noun · CEFR B2

a sudden period of being very angry.

For teachers: an outburst or fit of rage; often used with 'lose' or 'fly into'.

- She lost her temper when she found out they had lied to her.
- After hours of fruitless negotiation, the diplomat finally lost his temper and walked out of the room.

### 3. calmness

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a calm and controlled state of mind.

For teachers: the state of being composed or maintaining equanimity under pressure.

- It is important to keep your temper even when people are being rude.
- Despite the provocative questions from the press, the minister managed to keep her temper throughout the briefing.

### 4. to moderate or soften

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

to make something less severe or less strong.

For teachers: to moderate or mitigate the intensity of something by adding a counterbalancing element.

- You should temper your criticism with some praise so they don't feel discouraged.
- The central bank decided to temper its optimistic growth forecast with a warning about rising inflation rates.

### 5. to strengthen metal

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to heat and then cool metal to make it harder and stronger.

For teachers: to improve the hardness and elasticity of a metal, particularly steel, through a process of reheating and controlled cooling.

- The blacksmith tempered the sword to ensure the blade would not break in battle.
- Modern industrial processes allow engineers to temper steel components to precise specifications for use in aerospace construction.

### 6. cooking technique

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to slowly bring a cold ingredient to a higher temperature so it stays smooth.

For teachers: to gradually raise the temperature of a cold or room-temperature ingredient by adding small amounts of a hot liquid to prevent curdling or seizing.

- You must temper the eggs by adding a little hot milk before pouring them into the pot.
- To achieve a glossy finish on the chocolate truffles, the pastry chef had to temper the cocoa butter with extreme precision.

## Examples

- He has a very short temper when he is tired.
- The manager kept her temper during the difficult meeting despite the constant interruptions from the staff.
- While he was generally known for his mild temper, the blatant injustice of the situation provoked a rare and formidable display of indignation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.