/ˈtɛmpər/
The word "temper" can refer to the state of mind or mood, particularly in terms of anger. When used as a verb, it means to moderate or mitigate something, often by mixing it with another substance.
Frequency of Use: The word "temper" is used fairly frequently in both oral and written contexts, though idiomatic and metaphorical uses may be more commonly found in spoken language.
He has a bad temper.
(Él tiene un mal carácter.)
You need to temper your expectations.
(Necesitas moderar tus expectativas.)
The blacksmith must temper the metal to make it stronger.
(El herrero debe templar el metal para hacerlo más fuerte.)
The word "temper" appears in several idiomatic expressions in English, illustrating various nuances of its meanings.
To lose one's temper:
(Perder los estribos.)
"She lost her temper when she saw the mess."
(Ella perdió los estribos cuando vio el desorden.)
To have a quick temper:
(Tener un carácter explosivo.)
"He has a quick temper, so be careful what you say."
(Él tiene un carácter explosivo, así que ten cuidado con lo que dices.)
To keep one's temper:
(Mantener la calma.)
"It’s important to keep your temper during the negotiation."
(Es importante mantener la calma durante la negociación.)
Temper flares up:
(El carácter se enciende.)
"His temper flared up when he was blamed for the mistake."
(Su carácter se encendió cuando fue culpado por el error.)
To temper justice with mercy:
(Templar la justicia con la misericordia.)
"As a leader, you should learn to temper justice with mercy."
(Como líder, deberías aprender a templar la justicia con la misericordia.)
The word "temper" originates from the Latin temperare, meaning "to mix," which itself is derived from tempus, meaning "time." The word evolved through Old French (temprer) before entering Middle English.