tempering
tempering — noun
1. the way some people react very quickly with anger when things upset or annoy the
the way some people react very quickly with anger when things upset or annoy them — a person with this trait is described as having a quick or bad temper.
Minh has a quick temper and often shouts at small mistakes.
quick temper — a tendency to react angrily
Kian's bad temper made it hard for the team to work with him on the group project.
A good teacher learns to control her temper even when students are difficult.
Owen's fiery temper got him into trouble more than once at the office.
The coach warned the young player about letting his temper affect the game.
- irritability
more formal; describes a general state of being easily annoyed
- short fuse
informal; means someone becomes angry very quickly
- hot-headedness
informal; suggests acting without thinking when angry
文法句型
have a [adjective] temper
a [adjective] temper
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives like 'bad', 'quick', 'fiery', or 'violent' before the word. The phrase 'have a temper' alone usually implies a bad or quick temper.
常見錯誤
2. a moment when someone suddenly shows anger by shouting, breaking things, or losi
a moment when someone suddenly shows anger by shouting, breaking things, or losing control — often called a fit of temper.
When Joaquín saw the broken vase, he flew into a temper and slammed the door.
fly into a temper — suddenly become very angry
In a fit of temper, Rohan threw his notebook across the classroom.
in a fit of temper — during a sudden angry outburst
The toddler's temper tantrum in the supermarket embarrassed her mother.
Omar apologised after his temper got the better of him at the meeting.
文法句型
fly into a temper
in a temper
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (QUICK ANGER): sense 1 describes a person's usual nature, while sense 2 describes one specific incident. 'Fly into a temper' and 'in a fit of temper' are common fixed phrases for this sense.
常見錯誤
3. the ability to stay calm and not let anger control what you say or do, especiall
the ability to stay calm and not let anger control what you say or do, especially during a difficult situation.
Despite the rude comments, Sumin managed to keep her temper and walk away.
keep one's temper — stay calm despite provocation
The referee lost his temper and shouted at the players on the field.
lose one's temper — fail to stay calm and become angry
Kemi held her temper during the argument even though she felt very frustrated.
The nurse struggled to keep her temper when the patient kept complaining.
- composure
formal; the state of being calm and in control
- self-restraint
the ability to stop yourself from acting on strong feelings
- cool
informal; as in 'keep your cool'
- loss of temper
the opposite of keeping self-control
文法句型
keep one's temper
lose one's temper
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the fixed phrases 'keep one's temper' and 'lose one's temper'. 'Lose your temper' is much more common than 'keep your temper' in everyday speech. 'Hold your temper' is also possible but less frequent.
常見錯誤
4. the state of feeling angry and upset at a particular moment, often because somet
the state of feeling angry and upset at a particular moment, often because something has just happened.
Talia was in a temper after someone scratched her new car in the parking lot.
in a temper — feeling very angry right now
Darius left the room in a temper when his suggestion was ignored again.
Stefan was in a filthy temper all morning after the argument with his landlord.
The manager was in no temper to listen to any more excuses from the team.
- good mood
a happy or pleasant emotional state
文法句型
in a temper
in a [adjective] temper
用法筆記
Almost always used in 'in a temper' or 'in a [adjective] temper'. The adjective can intensify the anger (e.g. 'filthy', 'terrible', 'foul'). This sense differs from sense 2 (ANGRY OUTBURST) because it describes an ongoing angry mood rather than a single explosive action.
常見錯誤
5. the way a person feels emotionally at a given moment — for example, being cheerf
the way a person feels emotionally at a given moment — for example, being cheerful, sad, calm, or irritated — which affects how they behave and react.
Kian was in a cheerful temper when he heard the good news about his sister.
The crowd was of an ugly temper after the team lost its fifth match in a row.
ugly temper — bad, potentially dangerous mood
Minh's calm temper made him the perfect person to handle the customer complaints.
The children were in a playful temper and ran through the house laughing.
- mood
more general and more common in everyday speech
- disposition
formal; refers to a person's usual way of feeling
- frame of mind
how someone is feeling at a specific moment
文法句型
in a [adjective] temper
of a [adjective] temper
用法筆記
This is the most general sense of 'temper' as a noun. Unlike senses 1-4, it is not limited to anger — it can describe any emotional frame of mind. The adjective before 'temper' shows what kind of mood it is. Some common collocations: 'of a nervous temper', 'in an ugly temper', 'of a generous temper'.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Temper means only anger.' — This sense of 'temper' can mean any mood, not just anger.
6. the level of hardness, strength, or flexibility in a material such as metal, gla
the level of hardness, strength, or flexibility in a material such as metal, glass, or leather, which has been changed by heating and cooling it in a controlled way.
The blacksmith checked the temper of the steel blade by tapping it with a small hammer.
temper of the steel — the hardness of heat-treated metal
Leather of the right temper is firm but still bends easily under the hand.
The quality of a samurai sword depends on the temper of the folded steel.
High-carbon steel can achieve a very hard temper through careful heat treatment.
- hardness
general term for how resistant a material is to being pressed or scratched
- resilience
the ability to return to original shape after bending
用法筆記
Technical term used mainly in metallurgy, glass-making, and leather-working. The simplest explanation: 'temper' here is what you get AFTER the verb 'temper' (heat-treating) is done to a material. A 'hard temper' means very hard but may be brittle; a 'soft temper' means less hard but more flexible.
常見錯誤
tempering — verb
- temperingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- temperings3rd person singular
- temperinging-ing form
- temperingedpast simple
1. to make a statement, action, or quality less forceful, extreme, or harsh by addi
to make a statement, action, or quality less forceful, extreme, or harsh by adding something that balances or softens it — for example, tempering criticism with kindness, or tempering enthusiasm with caution.
The judge tempered her strict ruling with a note of understanding for the young offender.
tempered with — softened or balanced by adding something
Stefan tempered his excitement about the job offer with careful thought about the salary.
Her firm tone was tempered by a warm smile that put everyone at ease.
The government's new policy tempers economic growth with stronger environmental rules.
Omar tempered his disappointment with the knowledge that he had tried his best.
文法句型
temper something with/by something
用法筆記
Often followed by 'with' to show what provides the softening influence. The subject is typically a person, an institution, or an abstract quality (e.g. 'justice', 'criticism', 'enthusiasm'). The passive form 'be tempered by' is very common in formal writing.
常見錯誤
2. to heat a metal such as steel to a very high temperature and then cool it in a c
to heat a metal such as steel to a very high temperature and then cool it in a controlled way, so that it becomes harder, stronger, and less likely to break.
The blacksmith tempered the steel blade by heating it red-hot and then dipping it in oil.
tempered the steel blade — heat-treated metal to make it hard
This type of iron must be tempered at exactly 400 degrees to reach the right hardness.
The sword was tempered in cold water, which gave it a sharp and lasting edge.
If the metal is not tempered properly, the blade will crack under pressure.
- heat-treat
broader term for any heating/cooling process on metal
- harden
general term; not specific to the tempering process
文法句型
temper [metal]
temper [metal] at [temperature]
用法筆記
In metallurgy, 'tempering' is a specific step done AFTER the metal has already been hardened by quenching. The purpose is to reduce brittleness while keeping the metal hard. This is distinct from 'annealing' (which fully softens metal) and 'quenching' (which rapidly cools it).
常見錯誤
❌ 'Tempering and quenching are the same thing.' — Quenching is the rapid cooling step; tempering is the reheating that follows.
3. to alter the internal structure of a substance such as glass, clay, or rubber by
to alter the internal structure of a substance such as glass, clay, or rubber by heating it, adding chemicals, or applying a special treatment — for instance, making glass safer for car windows or clay easier to mould.
The glass used for car windows is tempered so it shatters into tiny harmless pieces.
tempered glass — safety glass treated with heat
Tempered glass is much harder to break than ordinary window glass.
The pottery clay was tempered with fine sand to keep it from cracking in the kiln.
Special furnaces temper the glass panels used in smartphone screens.
文法句型
temper [material]
用法筆記
This sense covers materials OTHER than metal that undergo a heat or chemical process. The most common use in everyday life is 'tempered glass' (safety glass used in cars, phones, and buildings). While the chemical process differs, the core idea is the same as sense 2: controlled heating/cooling to create desired properties.
常見錯誤
4. to heat whole or ground spices briefly in hot oil, butter, or ghee so that they
to heat whole or ground spices briefly in hot oil, butter, or ghee so that they release their flavour and aroma into the dish.
Temper the cumin seeds in hot ghee until they pop and turn golden brown.
temper spices in hot oil — cook briefly to release flavour
Kemi tempered mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil before adding them to the lentils.
The recipe says to temper the spices at the beginning to build a rich base flavour.
Rohan tempered red chili flakes in butter and poured the mixture over the roasted vegetables.
文法句型
temper [spices] in [oil/butter/ghee]
用法筆記
This is a specialised cooking term from South Asian cuisine. The Hindi/Urdu term is 'tadka' or 'baghar'. The purpose is to 'bloom' the spices — heating them releases essential oils that dissolve into the cooking fat, which then flavours the whole dish. Common spices for tempering: cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies, and asafoetida.
常見錯誤
5. to heat and cool chocolate to specific temperatures so that it sets with a smoot
to heat and cool chocolate to specific temperatures so that it sets with a smooth, shiny surface and a firm snap when broken, instead of becoming streaky or soft.
The pastry chef tempered the dark chocolate before dipping the strawberries into it.
tempered chocolate — heat-treated for smooth finish
If you do not temper the chocolate properly, it will develop white streaks on the surface.
Talia tempered a large batch of milk chocolate for the Easter egg moulds.
The chocolate must be tempered to a precise temperature for a perfect glossy finish.
- pre-temper
sometimes used in industrial chocolate-making
- crystallise
the scientific process that happens inside tempered chocolate
文法句型
temper [chocolate]
用法筆記
This is a specific technique in confectionery. Untempered chocolate has a dull surface, feels soft at room temperature, and melts too easily on the fingers. Correct tempering involves heating chocolate to about 45°C, cooling it to about 27°C, then warming it slightly to about 31°C — the exact temperatures depend on whether it is dark, milk, or white chocolate.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Any chocolate can be tempered.' — Only real chocolate with cocoa butter can be tempered; compound chocolate (with vegetable oil) cannot.