temper

noun

UK /ˈtempə(r)/

Word Forms

singular	temper
plural	tempers

1
countable/uncountable a tendency to get angry very quickly
That temper of yours is going to get you into trouble.
She should never have married a man with such a violent temper.
have a short temper (=become angry very quickly):
He’s not a bad boss, but he has a short temper.
control your temper:
Andrew has not yet learned to control his temper.
tempers flare (=people get angry):
Tempers flared and things began to get out of control.
tempers fray (=people start to get angry):
It was a difficult meeting and tempers got a bit frayed.
Synonyms and related words
Anger and annoyance
asperity
anger
annoyance
Collocates
Adjectives frequently used with temper
▪ bad, fiery, foul, nasty, quick, short, violent
2
singular/uncountable a particular emotional state or mood
in a bad/foul/terrible etc temper:
When Mark turned up he was in a foul temper.
in a good temper:
He seems to be in a good temper.
Synonyms and related words
General words for moods and emotions
mood
emotion
feelings
1. 2a
  an extremely angry state
  be in a temper:
  He doesn’t mean what he says when he’s in a temper.
  get/fly into a temper:
  When she refused to help, he flew into a temper.
  a fit of temper (=a sudden short period of uncontrolled anger):
  He stormed out of the room in a fit of temper.
  a temper tantrum (=a sudden short period of uncontrolled anger):
  As a small child he had had violent temper tantrums.
  Synonyms and related words
  Anger and annoyance
  asperity
  anger
  annoyance

phrases

keep your temper (with)

lose your temper (with)

temper, temper

temper

noun

US /ˈtempər/

Word Forms

singular	temper
plural	tempers

1
countable/uncountable a tendency to get angry very quickly
That temper of yours is going to get you into trouble.
She should never have married a man with such a violent temper.
have a short temper (=become angry very quickly):
He’s not a bad boss, but he has a short temper.
control your temper:
Andrew has not yet learned to control his temper.
tempers flare (=people get angry):
Tempers flared and things began to get out of control.
tempers fray (=people start to get angry):
It was a difficult meeting and tempers got a bit frayed.
Synonyms and related words
Anger and annoyance
asperity
anger
annoyance
Collocates
Adjectives frequently used with temper
▪ bad, fiery, foul, nasty, quick, short, violent
2
singular/uncountable a particular emotional state or mood
in a bad/foul/terrible etc. temper:
When Mark turned up he was in a foul temper.
in a good temper:
He seems to be in a good temper.
Synonyms and related words
General words for moods and emotions
mood
emotion
feelings
1. 2a
  an extremely angry state
  be in a temper:
  He doesn’t mean what he says when he’s in a temper.
  get/fly into a temper:
  When she refused to help, he flew into a temper.
  a fit of temper (=a sudden short period of uncontrolled anger):
  He stormed out of the room in a fit of temper.
  a temper tantrum (=a sudden short period of uncontrolled anger):
  As a small child he had had violent temper tantrums.
  Synonyms and related words
  Anger and annoyance
  asperity
  anger
  annoyance

phrases

keep your temper (with)

lose your temper (with)

temper, temper

temper

verb transitive

UK /ˈtempə(r)/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	temper
he/she/it	tempers
present participle	tempering
past tense	tempered
past participle	tempered

1
formalto make something less strong or extreme, especially by adding something that has the opposite effect
hot, sunny days tempered by a light breeze
The time had come to temper idealism with reality.
Synonyms and related words
To become, or to make something weaker
lessen
reduce
subside
2
to make steel hard by heating it and then making it cold
Synonyms and related words
Metalworking and forms of metal
anvil
bar
beat

temper

verb transitive

US /ˈtempər/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	temper
he/she/it	tempers
present participle	tempering
past tense	tempered
past participle	tempered

1
to make steel hard by heating it and then making it cold
Synonyms and related words
Metalworking and forms of metal
anvil
bar
beat
2
formalto make something less strong or extreme, especially by adding something that has the opposite effect
hot, sunny days tempered by a light breeze
The time had come to temper idealism with reality.
Synonyms and related words
To become, or to make something weaker
weaken
lessen
reduce

temper ​‌‌

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