TAPER

candle, taper, wax light

(noun) stick of wax with a wick in the middle

wick, taper

(noun) a loosely woven cord (in a candle or oil lamp) that draws fuel by capillary action up into the flame

taper

(noun) the property possessed by a shape that narrows toward a point (as a wedge or cone)

taper

(noun) a convex shape that narrows toward a point

taper

(verb) diminish gradually; “Interested tapered off”

sharpen, taper, point

(verb) give a point to; “The candles are tapered”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Noun

taper (plural tapers)

A slender wax candle; a small lighted wax candle

(by extension) a small light.

A tapering form; gradual diminution of thickness and/or cross section in an elongated object

A thin stick used for lighting candles, either a wax-coated wick or a slow-burning wooden rod.

Verb

taper (third-person singular simple present tapers, present participle tapering, simple past and past participle tapered)

(transitive) To make thinner or narrower at one end.

(intransitive) To diminish gradually.

Synonyms

• narrow

Adjective

taper

Tapered; narrowing to a point.

Etymology 2

Noun

taper (plural tapers)

(weaving) One who operates a tape machine.

Someone who works with tape or tapes.

Anagrams

• Peart, Petra, apert, apter, parte, pater, peart, petar, petra, prate, preta, reapt, repat, retap, trape, treap

Source: Wiktionary


Ta"per, n. Etym: [AS. tapur, tapor, taper; cf. Ir. tapar, W. tampr.]

1. A small wax candle; a small lighted wax candle; hence, a small light. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius. Shak.

2. A tapering form; gradual diminution of thickness in an elongated object; as, the taper of a spire.

Ta"per, a. Etym: [Supposed to be from taper, n., in allusion to its form.]

Definition: Regularly narrowed toward the point; becoming small toward one end; conical; pyramidical; as, taper fingers.

Ta"per, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Tapered; p. pr. & vb. n. Tapering.]

Definition: To become gradually smaller toward one end; as, a sugar loaf tapers toward one end.

Ta"per, v. t.

Definition: To make or cause to taper.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

18 June 2024

PARADE

(noun) an extended (often showy) succession of persons or things; “a parade of strollers on the mall”; “a parade of witnesses”


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Coffee Trivia

Raw coffee beans, soaked in water and spices, are chewed like candy in many parts of Africa.

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