Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tempir, Tempre, v. Also: tempyr(e, -er, -or, tempper. P.t. and p.p. also temperat(t, -ate. [ME and e.m.E. temmprenn (Orm), temper (Cursor M.), tempre(n (14th c.), tempir(en (Rolle), temporyn (Prompt. Parv.), OE temprian, OF temprer, L. temperāre.] tr.

1. To cause (something) to be duly proportioned. c1420 Wynt. v 3826.
Yhoure part is … till … teche the rycht way to ga Tempyre [W. temper, C. tempyr] yhoure medycyne rycht swa c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. xii 24.
Bot God temprit the body, gevand mare wirschip to it

2. To moderate, mitigate or restrain (excess); to soften or assuage (anger, etc.); to bring (something) to a middle way or less extreme state. c1420 Liber Calchou 451.
The hart suld be comfurdyt be cauld electvary to tempyr the gret hete therof 1490 Irland Mir. I 154/7.
This lady temporit the crabitnes … of the deite agane mankind and causit him to be sueit, meik and mercifull to us 1513 Doug. i ii 14.
Kyng Eolus … Temperis thar ire 1533 Bell. Livy I 46/15.
He saw the myndis of his pepill … mycht nocht be softit nor temperat 1533 Bell. Livy I 263/17.
Thai temperate in sum maner the preis of thare violence 1540 Lynd. Sat. 828 (B).
Hamelines: Howbeid ȝe gat that ȝe desyrit Or I was temprit ȝe was tyrit 1549 Compl. 67/22.
Fumeterre that tempris ane heyt lyuyr a1568 Bann. MS 43b/4.
The grittest tresour … is wit and discretion To tempir the ioyfull and confort the pensyfe 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 8.
Albeit humiditie and heit … be the parentis of corruptioun beand destitute of motioun to tempre the samyn

b. Of natural forces, the weather, etc.: To ameliorate, make more temperate or moderate extremes of climate. c1420 Wynt. i 124 (W).
Out of that well cummys fludis foure To tempre the erd that thai ran oure 1456 Hay II 129/31.
Than begynnis drouthis and grete hete of sonne to regne, and wyndis softis and temperis than 1490 Irland Mir. I 79/9.
As the wattir of Nyl temperis all the land of Egipt

c. Const. with (be) the moderating influence. In non-material and material applications.(1) 1456 Hay I 291/11.
To tempre his athe, but hete, but wilfulnes of a disordinate lust … with gude and wis counsale a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1540 (Asl.).
Glydand glaidnes temper with the gall Of hevy panis 1531 Bell. Boece II 253.
Makbeth wes gevin als mekill to cruelte as Duncane wes gevin to piete … thairfore the peple desirit thair maneris to have bene temporat [M. temperatt] with otheris a1538 Abell 10b.
[He] temperit iustice with mercy c1590 Fowler I 94/213.
As loyall lowe with honestie dois temper and immixt 1596 Dalr. II 214/17.
Justice … sulde be tempiret with equitie(2) 1513 Doug. xii vii 88.
Venus … with the herb … mydlit hes sche The hailsum … watir … And temperis and enbalmys prevely The plastyr … The hailsum ius 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 21.
Temperand the air … be aspersioun of cauld vater

3. To mix (ingredients) togidder. a1500 Seven S. 2022.
Stanys … and pik & ter … all togiddir temperit scho 1531 Bell. Boece I lvi.
Ane gret vessell, wrocht full of butter, cheis, mele, milk, and vinacre, temperit togidder

4. To control or restrain (oneself, one's life, etc.). b. To temper to do (something), to restrain oneself from doing (it). 1533 Boece 168b.
Victorine … mycht nocht (bot erare wald nocht) reule nor tempir him self 1533 Bell. Livy I 45/8.
Numa of his awne ingine temperate his liffe in vertewe 1542 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 31.
We temperit our selfis and abstenit fra forther persewing c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 227.
He may temper, and dant him self be skill 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 255.
That he suld not be desyred or preissed in ony sort to temper his toungb. 1584 Calderwood IV 84.
I could no longer temper to informe you … what slanderous heids ye have committed to your writting

5. To regulate (a mechanism). Also in fig. context. 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 3.
Sum tennentis … tuik vpone thame to tempper the miln … without ony kynd of knawleg 1624 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 143.
The pleuche … wald not enter in the ground, temper hir quhat scho wald 1653 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 134.
To ring the bell and temper the cloakfig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 387.
The wheels, paces and motions of this poor church are tempered and ruled … according to … our only wise Lord

b. To tune (the strings of a musical instrument). Only in fig. context. 1657 Balfour Ann. II 140.
They tempered ther stringes to such a cleiffe of ambition … that befor euer they ȝeildit aney sound, they burst all in peices

6. To harden (steel). 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 127.
For v wosp of steill to temper the fylis 1626 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 196.
For salt to temper tua quarrell mellis x d.