tame
/teɪm/ (bre, ipa) · /teɪm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtām/ (ame, mw)
tame — adjective
- tamepositive
- tamercomparative
- tamestsuperlative
1. describes an animal that has learned to live calmly alongside people and is not
describes an animal that has learned to live calmly alongside people and is not afraid of them or likely to cause harm.
The zoo keepers fed the tame deer by hand every afternoon.
tame + noun (animal) describing domesticated creatures
Nia's pet rabbit is so tame that it falls asleep on her lap.
Although the bear looked tame, the ranger warned everyone to keep a safe distance.
That breed of cat is naturally tame and friendly toward strangers.
The tame horses in the village let children brush their manes without complaint.
- domesticated
more formal; focuses on the process of being brought under human control
- docile
stresses a gentle, easy-to-handle nature rather than simple lack of wildness
- gentle
broader; can describe any creature's calm manner, not just non-wild ones
文法句型
tame + noun (animal)
be + tame
用法筆記
Also used for people who are unusually willing to obey — for example, 'The once rebellious teenager grew tame after joining the military.'
常見錯誤
2. not at all exciting, adventurous, or interesting — so much so that you feel slig
not at all exciting, adventurous, or interesting — so much so that you feel slightly disappointed or bored.
The film was far too tame for an audience used to action movies.
be + too tame for [audience]
Ryo found the theme park rides tame compared to the roller coasters back home.
find + noun + tame (opinion verb pattern)
After climbing Mount Fuji, a short hill in the park seemed tame by comparison.
The party was surprisingly tame — everyone left before ten o'clock.
Constanza chose a tamer outfit for the meeting and saved her bright dress for later.
- boring
stronger and more negative; 'tame' suggests mildness, not total tedium
- mild
focuses on lack of intensity rather than lack of excitement
- dull
more critical; implies the thing fails to engage at all
- uninspiring
formal; suggests nothing sparks interest or imagination
文法句型
be + tame
sound + tame
seem + tame
常見錯誤
tame — verb
- tamepresent simple I / you / we / they
- tames3rd person singular
- taming-ing form
- tamedpast simple
1. to train a wild animal to accept human company and follow basic commands, so tha
to train a wild animal to accept human company and follow basic commands, so that it no longer tries to run away or attack.
The wildlife centre spent two years trying to tame the injured eagle.
tame + specific animal (eagle)
Asher learned how to tame horses during his summer job on the ranch.
Andrei spent months taming the stray cat that had been living in his garden.
Ancient humans first tamed wolves more than ten thousand years ago.
The parrot was rescued from a market and slowly tamed by a local vet.
- domesticate
more formal; implies a long-term process of adapting a species to human life
- train
broader; does not specifically mean 'make less wild' — can apply to any skill
- break in
specific to horses; focuses on getting a horse used to a rider
- release
set an animal free back into the wild
文法句型
tame + noun (animal)
2. to bring a dangerous force, a difficult situation, or a strong emotion under con
to bring a dangerous force, a difficult situation, or a strong emotion under control so that it no longer causes harm or trouble.
Engineers are working on ways to tame the floodwaters of the great river.
tame + natural force (floodwaters)
Nikhil struggled to tame his anger during the heated argument with his boss.
tame + emotion (anger)
New laws were introduced to tame the power of large technology companies.
The government spent billions trying to tame inflation, but prices kept rising.
Amelia finally tamed her fear of public speaking by joining a local drama class.
- bring under control
longer but less figurative; plainer in tone
- subdue
stronger; suggests using force to overcome resistance
- harness
implies channelling a force for productive use, not just suppressing it
- curb
means to restrain or limit, often used for spending or behaviour
文法句型
tame + noun (force, emotion, situation)
用法筆記
Common in journalism and political writing. The object can be a physical force (flood, fire), an institution (government, market), or an emotion (fear, rage).
常見錯誤
3. to turn wild plants into crops that are suitable for farming, or to develop wild
to turn wild plants into crops that are suitable for farming, or to develop wild land into land that people can use for growing food or building on.
Farmers in the region tamed wild wheat varieties thousands of years ago.
tame + wild plant (wheat)
It took generations to tame the dense jungle into rice paddies.
tame + wild land into [new use]
The settlers slowly tamed the rocky hillsides into terraced farms.
Botanists have tamed many wild flowers and turned them into popular garden plants.
Lucas studied how ancient peoples first tamed wild berries for cultivation.
- cultivate
focuses on growing crops; 'tame' emphasises the transition from wild to managed
- domesticate
can apply to plants but is far more common for animals
- bring under cultivation
a formal, longer phrase specific to land
- develop
broader; includes building, not just farming
文法句型
tame + noun (plant, land, region)
用法筆記
Less common in everyday speech; found mostly in agricultural history, botany, and geography contexts.
4. to make something less strong, harsh, or extreme in style, wording, or expressio
to make something less strong, harsh, or extreme in style, wording, or expression — for example, softening a critical remark or making aggressive behaviour more moderate.
The editor asked the journalist to tame some of the harsher language in the article.
tame + language / criticism
Pim tried to tame his criticism so it would not hurt the intern's feelings.
The designer tamed the bold colours and chose a quieter palette for the bedroom.
Wren's first draft had angry words, so she tamed it before sending it out.
The comedian tamed his act when he realised children were in the audience.
文法句型
tame + noun (language, criticism, style)
用法筆記
Often used about writing, speech, or artistic style where the original version is felt to be too sharp or provocative.