Taper vs Tamper - What's the difference?
taper | tamper |
A slender wax candle; a small lighted wax candle; hence, a small light.
* ~1603 , William Shakespeare, ''Othello, Act I, scene I, line 157:
* 1913 ,
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.
To make thinner or narrower at one end.
* 1851 ,
To diminish gradually.
A person or thing that tamps.
A tool used to tamp something down, such as tobacco in a pipe.
To alter by making unauthorized changes; to meddle.
(in professional sports) To discuss future contracts against league rules with a player.
In intransitive terms the difference between taper and tamper
is that taper is to diminish gradually while tamper is to alter by making unauthorized changes; to meddle.As nouns the difference between taper and tamper
is that taper is a slender wax candle; a small lighted wax candle; hence, a small light while tamper is a person or thing that tamps.As verbs the difference between taper and tamper
is that taper is to make thinner or narrower at one end while tamper is to alter by making unauthorized changes; to meddle.taper
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) taper, from (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)- strike on the tinder, ho!/ Give me a taper .
- Love used to carry a bow, you know,
- But now he carries a taper ;
- It is either a length of wax aglow,
- Or a twist of lighted paper.
- the taper of a spire.
- The legs of the table had a slight taper to them.
Derived terms
* taperwiseVerb
(en verb)- Though true cylinders without — within, the villanous green goggling glasses deceitfully tapered downwards to a cheating bottom.