tempering

/ˈtɛmpərɪŋ/
noun
  1. The process of heating and cooling a material, especially metal or glass, to make it stronger or less brittle.
    • Tempering is an important step in making durable tools like hammers and chisels.
    • In blacksmithing, tempering gives the metal the right balance of hardness and flexibility.
    • The glass undergoes tempering so it can withstand sudden temperature changes.
  2. The act of making something less extreme or more balanced, such as a statement or emotion.
    • Her speech needed some tempering to avoid offending the audience.
    • The tempering of his anger came from taking a few deep breaths.
    • The tempering of the spicy dish with yogurt made it enjoyable for everyone.
adjective
  1. Relating to or used for the process of tempering materials.
    • He wore special gloves for the tempering work to protect his hands.
    • The tempering furnace reaches very high temperatures to treat the metal.
    • The tempering stage is the most critical part of making the blade.
What does "tempering" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean