temper definition

1. a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
• examples: whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time
• examples: he was in a bad humor
2. a disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger
• examples: his temper was well known to all his employees
3. the elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking
4. harden by reheating and cooling in oil
• examples: temper steel
5. adjust the pitch (of pianos)
6. make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate
• examples: she tempered her criticism