taper — 1. (ta pé) v. a. 1° Donner une tape, des tapes. Tapez ce petit drôle. 2° Taper les cheveux, les relever avec le peigne, les crêper ; locution vieillie ; on dit crêper. • Dites à Montgobert qu on ne tape point les cheveux, et qu on ne tourne … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
Taper — may refer to: * Fishing rod tapers, a measure of the flexibility of a fishing rod * In geometry, or in the casual description of a shaper or object, a gradual thinning or narrowing towards one end * Machine taper, in machinery and engineering *… … Wikipedia
Taper — Ta per, n. [AS. tapur, tapor, taper; cf. Ir. tapar, W. tampr.] 1. A small wax candle; a small lighted wax candle; hence, a small light. [1913 Webster] Get me a taper in my study, Lucius. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. A tapering form; gradual diminution … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
taper — Taper. v. a. Frapper, donner un coup. Il l a bien tapé. je vous taperay. Le peuple dit aussi, Tapoter, & l un & l autre est bas. On dit, Taper les cheveux, pour dire, Les mesler & les relever avec le peigne d une certaine maniere qui les renfle & … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
Taper — Ta per, a. [Supposed to be from taper, n., in allusion to its form.] Regularly narrowed toward the point; becoming small toward one end; conical; pyramidical; as, taper fingers. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
taper — [tā′pər] n. [ME < OE tapur, prob. by dissimilation < L papyrus (see PAPER): from use of papyrus pith as wick] 1. a wax candle, esp. a long, slender one 2. a long wick coated with wax, used for lighting candles, lamps, etc. 3. any feeble… … English World dictionary
Taper — Ta per, v. t. To make or cause to taper. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
taper — (n.) O.E. tapur, taper candle, not found outside English, possibly a dissimilated borrowing from L. papyrus (see PAPYRUS (Cf. papyrus)), which was used in M.L. and some Romance languages for wick of a candle (e.g. It. papijo wick ), since these… … Etymology dictionary
taper — / taper off [v] decrease to a point abate, bate, close, come to a point, die away, die out, diminish, drain, dwindle, fade, lessen, narrow, recede, reduce, rescind, subside, thin, thin out, wane, weaken, wind down; concepts 137,698,776 Ant. go up … New thesaurus
taper — ► VERB 1) diminish or reduce in thickness towards one end. 2) (taper off) gradually lessen. ► NOUN ▪ a slender tapered candle, used for conveying a flame. ORIGIN Old English, formed, by alteration of p to t , from Latin papyrus papyrus plant ,… … English terms dictionary
Taper — Ta per, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Tapered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tapering}.] To become gradually smaller toward one end; as, a sugar loaf tapers toward one end. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
