To modify, adjust, or regulate something (especially temperature, mood, or qualities) to bring it to a proper or desired state.
From Old French attemper, from Latin attemperare (ad- 'to' + temperare 'to moderate'). The word originally meant 'to mix in proper proportions' and evolved to mean 'to adjust' or 'to regulate.'
Medieval craftsmen—metalworkers, glassmakers, alchemists—used 'attemper' constantly because their success depended entirely on the precise regulation of heat and mixture. It's a technical term that reveals how important precision was in pre-industrial trades.
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