■ noun
1》 a person's state of mind in terms of their being angry or calm.
2》 a tendency to become angry easily.
↘an angry state of mind.
3》 the degree of hardness and elasticity of steel or another metal.
■ verb
1》 improve the ~ of (a metal) by reheating and then cooling it.
↘improve the consistency or resiliency of (a substance) by heating it or adding particular substances to it.
2》 serve as a neutralizing or counterbalancing force to: their idealism is ~ed with realism.
3》 tune (a piano or other instrument) so as to adjust the note intervals correctly.
Phrases
keep (or lose ) one's ~ retain (or fail to retain) composure or restraint when angry.
Derivatives
~er noun
Origin
OE temprian 'bring into the required condition by mixing', from L. ~are 'mingle, restrain'; the noun orig. denoted a proportionate mixture of elements, also the combination of the four bodily humours, formerly believed to be the basis of ~ament.