temper (
http://definr.com/temper)
n 1: a sudden outburst of anger; "his temper sparked like damp
firewood" [syn:
pique,
irritation]
2: a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of
feeling; "whether he praised or cursed me depended on his
temper at the time"; "he was in a bad humor" [syn:
mood,
humor,
humour]
3: a disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger; "his temper was
well known to all his employees" [syn:
biliousness,
irritability,
peevishness,
pettishness,
snappishness,
surliness]
4: the elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability
to absorb considerable energy before cracking [syn:
toughness]
v 1: anneal or toughen by a process of gradually heating and
cooling; "temper glass" [syn:
anneal]
2: harden by reheating and cooling in oil; "temper steel" [syn:
harden]
3: adjust the pitch (of pianos)
4: make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding
something else; moderate; "she tempered her criticism"
[syn:
season]
5: restrain or temper [syn:
chasten,
moderate]