Decrease and Temper

noun

• A change downward.
  • usage: "there was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided"; "there was a sharp drop-off in sales"
  • synonyms: lessening, drop-off
• A process of becoming smaller or shorter.
  • synonyms: decrement
• The amount by which something decreases.
  • synonyms: decrement
• The act of decreasing or reducing something.
  • synonyms: diminution, reduction, step-down

verb

• Decrease in size, extent, or range.
  • usage: "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
  • synonyms: diminish, lessen, fall
• Make smaller.
  • usage: "He decreased his staff"
  • synonyms: lessen, minify

• (v.t.) To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.
• (v.) A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
• (n.) To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc. or in strength, quality or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December.
• (v.) The wane of the moon.

noun

• A sudden outburst of anger.
  • usage: "his temper sparked like damp firewood"
  • synonyms: pique, irritation
• A characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling.
  • usage: "whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time"; "he was in a bad humor"
  • synonyms: mood, humor, humour
• A disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger.
  • usage: "his temper was well known to all his employees"
  • synonyms: biliousness, irritability, peevishness, pettishness, snappishness, surliness
• The elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking.
  • synonyms: toughness

verb

• Bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling.
  • usage: "temper glass"
  • synonyms: anneal, normalize
• Harden by reheating and cooling in oil.
  • usage: "temper steel"
  • synonyms: harden
• Adjust the pitch (of pianos. )
• Make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate.
  • usage: "she tempered her criticism"
  • synonyms: season, mollify
• Restrain.
  • synonyms: chasten, moderate

• (v.t.) To govern; to manage.
• (v.t.) To mingle in due proportion; to prepare by combining; to modify, as by adding some new element; to qualify, as by an ingredient; hence, to soften; to mollify; to assuage; to soothe; to calm.
• (v.t.) To moisten to a proper consistency and stir thoroughly, as clay for making brick, loam for molding, etc.
• (n.) Disposition of mind; the constitution of the mind, particularly with regard to the passions and affections; as, a calm temper; a hasty temper; a fretful temper.
• (n.) The state of a metal or other substance, especially as to its hardness, produced by some process of heating or cooling; as, the temper of iron or steel.
• (v.t.) To adjust, as the mathematical scale to the actual scale or to that in actual use.
• (n.) Constitution of body; temperament; in old writers, the mixture or relative proportion of the four humors, blood, choler, phlegm, and melancholy.
• (n.) Middle state or course; mean; medium.
• (v.t.) To bring to a proper degree of hardness; as, to temper iron or steel.
• (n.) Calmness of mind; moderation; equanimity; composure; as, to keep one's temper.
• (v.t.) To fit together; to adjust; to accomodate.
• (v.i.) To have or get a proper or desired state or quality; to grow soft and pliable.
• (v.i.) To accord; to agree; to act and think in conformity.
• (n.) Milk of lime or other substance, employed in the process formerly used to clarify sugar.
• (n.) The state of any compound substance which results from the mixture of various ingredients; due mixture of different qualities; just combination; as, the temper of mortar.
• (n.) Heat of mind or passion; irritation; proneness to anger; -- in a reproachful sense.