taper
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taper
a slender candle; a gradual decrease: The storm will taper off soon.
Not to be confused with:
tapir – animal resembling swine
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
ta·per
(tā′pər)n.
1. A small or very slender candle.
2. A long wax-coated wick used to light candles or gas lamps.
3. A source of feeble light.
4.
a. A gradual decrease in thickness or width of an elongated object.
b. A gradual decrease, as in action or force.
5. Sports A period before a competition or race in which the intensity and frequency of exercise and training is decreased.
v. ta·pered, ta·per·ing, ta·pers
v. intr.
1. To become gradually narrower or thinner toward one end.
2. To diminish or lessen gradually. Often used with off: The storm finally tapered off.
3. Sports To decrease one's exercise levels before a competition or race: tapered for a week before the marathon.
v. tr.
1. To make thinner or narrower at one end.
2. To make smaller gradually.
adj.
Gradually decreasing in size toward a point.
[Middle English, from Old English tapor, possibly ultimately from Latin papyrus, papyrus (sometimes used for candlewicks); see paper.]
ta′per·ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
taper
(ˈteɪpə)vb
1. to become or cause to become narrower towards one end: the spire tapers to a point.
2. (often foll by off) to become or cause to become smaller or less significant
3. (Banking & Finance) (of an amount of something, esp money) to decrease or to be decreased gradually
4. (Economics) (usually intr) (of a central bank) to reduce or decrease activity, esp the supply and regulation of credit
5. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (usually intr) (of a central bank) to reduce or decrease activity, esp the supply and regulation of credit
n
6. a thin candle
7. a thin wooden or waxed strip for transferring a flame; spill
8. a narrowing
9. (General Engineering) engineering (in conical parts) the amount of variation in the diameter per unit of length
10. any feeble source of light
[Old English tapor, probably from Latin papӯrus papyrus (from its use as a wick)]
ˈtaperer n
ˈtapering adj
ˈtaperingly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ta•per1
(ˈteɪ pər)v.i.
1. to become smaller or thinner toward one end.
2. to grow gradually lean.
v.t. 3. to make gradually smaller toward one end.
4. to reduce gradually.
5. taper off,
n. a. to become gradually more slender toward one end.
b. to cease by degrees; decrease; diminish.
6. gradual diminution of width or thickness in an elongated object.
7. gradual decrease of force, capacity, etc.
8. a candle, esp. a very slender one.
9. a long wick coated with wax, tallow, or the like, as for use in lighting candles or gas.
[before 900; Middle English: wax candle, Old English, variant of tapur, by dissimilation from *papur paper]
tap•er2
(ˈteɪ pər)n.
a person who records or edits magnetic tape.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
taper
Past participle: tapered
Gerund: tapering
| Imperative |
|---|
| taper |
| taper |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  taper - a convex shape that narrows toward a pointconvex shape, convexity - a shape that curves or bulges outward |
| 2. | taper - the property possessed by a shape that narrows toward a point (as a wedge or cone) narrowing - an instance of becoming narrow pointedness, point - the property of a shape that tapers to a sharp tip unpointedness - the property of having only a dull tip (if any) | |
| 3. |  taper - a loosely woven cord (in a candle or oil lamp) that draws fuel by capillary action up into the flamecandlewick - the wick of a candle cord - a line made of twisted fibers or threads; "the bundle was tied with a cord" | |
| 4. |  taper - stick of wax with a wick in the middlecandlewick - the wick of a candle chandlery - candles and other commodities sold by a chandler dip - a candle that is made by repeated dipping in a pool of wax or tallow lamp - an artificial source of visible illumination rush candle, rushlight - a tallow candle with a rush stem as the wick vigil candle, vigil light - a candle lighted by a worshiper in a church | |
| Verb | 1. | taper - diminish gradually; "Interested tapered off" |
| 2. | taper - give a point to; "The candles are tapered" acuminate - make sharp or acute; taper; make (something) come to a point taper off - become smaller or less active; "Business tapered off" fizzle, fizzle out, peter out, taper off - end weakly; "The music just petered out--there was no proper ending" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
taper
verb
taper off decrease, dwindle, lessen, reduce, fade, weaken, wane, subside, wind down, die out, die away, thin out Immigration is beginning to taper off.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
taper
nounThe act or process of decreasing:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
شَمْعَه رَفيعَه، فَتيلَه مُشَمَّعَهيَسْتَدِق
svíčkazužovat se
gøre tyndere mod endenkerte
kaventuakaveta
fokozatosan vékonyítviaszgyertya
mjókka í annan endannörmjótt kerti
plona žvakėsmailėjantissmailėtismailinti
kļūt smailamsašaurinātiestieva vaska svece
zužovať sa
giderek sivrilmekince mum
taper
[ˈteɪpəʳ]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
taper
[ˈteɪpər] n → cierge m
vi → s'effilertape-record [ˌteɪprɪˈkɔːrd] vt → enregistrer (sur bande)tape recorder n → magnétophone mtape recording n → enregistrement m (sur bande)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
taper
n (= candle) → (dünne) Kerze
vt end of plank, stick etc → zuspitzen; edge → abschrägen; hair → spitz zuschneiden; pair of trousers → (nach unten) verengen
vi → sich zuspitzen; (vase) → sich verjüngen; (trousers) → nach unten enger werden; (hair) → (im Nacken) spitz zulaufen; to taper to a point → spitz zulaufen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
taper
(ˈteipə) noun a long, thin type of candle.
verb (sometimes with off) to make or become narrower or slimmer at one end. The leaves taper (off) to a point.
ˈtapered, ˈtapering adjective becoming narrower or slimmer at one end. tapering fingers.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
taper
n reducción f or disminución f gradual; vt reducir or disminuir gradualmenteEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.