To restore something to a better temperament or disposition; to soothe or calm; also used historically in painting to remove tempera paint.
From de- (to reverse) + temper; archaic usage refers to reversing an ill temper, while technical usage refers to removing tempera paint from a surface.
This beautifully archaic word meant 'to calm someone's anger' in Shakespeare's time, yet it survived in art conservation where it describes stripping away old tempera paintings—showing how one word can serve both emotional and technical purposes.
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