Definition

1. Noun:

   • A slender candle: A thin candle, often made of wax with a wick in the middle.
   • A wick: A loosely woven cord that draws fuel up into a flame in a candle or oil lamp.
   • A gradual narrowing: The property of a shape that becomes progressively narrower toward one end, like a wedge or cone.
   • A tapered shape: A convex form that narrows to a point.

2. Verb:

   • To make or become narrower at one end: To give something a point or a shape that gradually decreases in width or thickness.
   • To diminish gradually: To decrease slowly in amount, intensity, or degree.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She lit a taper to see in the dark room.
  • The taper of the candlewick ensures a steady flame.
  • The graceful taper of the spire makes the building look taller.
  • The table leg has a slight taper toward the bottom.

• Verb:

  • The carpenter will taper the end of the wooden post.
  • The trouser legs taper from the knee to the ankle.
  • His enthusiasm began to taper as the project grew more difficult.
  • Rainfall will taper off by tomorrow evening.

Advanced Usage

• "to taper off": To diminish or cease gradually.
  • The medication dosage should be tapered off slowly under a doctor's supervision.
  • After the initial rush, customer interest tapered off.

Variants and Related Words

• Tapered (adj): Having a shape that becomes narrower toward one end.
  • She wore a dress with a tapered waist.
• Tapering (adj/noun): The action or process of becoming gradually narrower; diminishing.
  • The tapering tower stood against the sky.
  • We observed a tapering in demand.

Synonyms

• Noun (for shape): Narrowing, convergence.
• Verb (to narrow): Narrow, thin, attenuate.
• Verb (to diminish): Decrease, dwindle, subside, wane.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Taper off: To gradually reduce or become less.
  • The road tapers off into a narrow path.
  • The noise from the party finally tapered off after midnight.

Related Idioms

• Burn the candle at both ends: (While not containing "taper," this idiom relates to the concept of a candle, a common context for the word "taper," meaning to overwork oneself.)
  • You can't keep burning the candle at both ends without getting sick.

Noun

1. stick of wax with a wick in the middle
2. a loosely woven cord (in a candle or oil lamp) that draws fuel by capillary action up into the flame
3. the property possessed by a shape that narrows toward a point (as a wedge or cone)
4. a convex shape that narrows toward a point

Verb

1. give a point to
   • The candles are tapered
2. diminish gradually
   • Interested tapered off