temper

来自 temper,调和。在中世纪医学理论特指人体内的四种体液的组合或融合，即血液，黏液， 胆汁液，黑胆汁，这四种体液的组合决定了人的脾性和性情，因而引申诸相关词义。词义火 气缩写自 bad temper.更多参照 humor 词源。

来自拉丁语 temperare,调节，管控，掌握火候，把控时间，来自 tempus,时间，词源同 temporal. 比喻用法，即掌握好时间。

temper

temper: [OE] The verb temper was borrowed into Old English from Latin temperāre ‘mix, blend’. This seems originally to have meant ‘mix in due proportion’, and so may have been derived from Latin tempus ‘time, due time’ (source of English temporary). The noun temper was derived from the verb in the 14th century in the sense ‘mixture of elements’, and this led on in the 17th century to ‘set of mental traits’ (a meaning that has now largely passed to the derivative temperament [15]).

The modern sense ‘ill humour’ emerged from this in the 19th century. Another meaning of Latin temperāre was ‘restrain oneself’, which has come through into the derivatives temperance [14] and temperate [14]. Other relatives include distemper and temperature. Tamper probably originated as an alteration of temper.
=> distemper, tamper, tempera, temperature

temper (v.)

late Old English temprian "to moderate, bring to a proper or suitable state, to modify some excessive quality, to restrain within due limits," from Latin temperare "observe proper measure, be moderate, restrain oneself," also transitive, "mix correctly, mix in due proportion; regulate, rule, govern, manage," usually described as from tempus "time, season" (see temporal), with a sense of "proper time or season." Meaning "to make (steel) hard and elastic" is from late 14c. Sense of "to tune the pitch of a musical instrument" is recorded from c. 1300. Related: Tempered; tempering.

temper (n.)

late 14c., "due proportion of elements or qualities," from temper (v.). The sense of "characteristic state of mind, inclination, disposition" is first recorded 1590s; that of "calm state of mind, tranquility" in c. 1600; and that of "angry state of mind" (for bad temper) in 1828. Meaning "degree of hardness and resiliency in steel" is from late 15c.

1. She was still in a temper when Colin arrived.

科林到的时候，她气还没有消。

2. I've never seen him get cross or lose his temper.

我从未见过他生气或者发火。

3. Though he had a temper and could be nasty, it never lasted.

虽然他爱发脾气，而且有时还很讨厌，但向来都只是一阵儿。

4. Mick was stubborn and domineering with a very bad temper.

米克既固执又专横，脾气还很坏。

5. He had a terrible temper, and sometimes he would completely lose control.

他的脾气很坏，有时会完全失控。