Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- In music, tuned in equal temperament. The term is used specifically in the (English) title of one of J. S. Bach's most famous works, “The Well-Tempered Clavichord,” a collection of forty-eight preludes and fugues, in two equal parts, one finished in 1722 and the other in 1744, which were written in all the major and minor keys (tonalities) of the keyboard for the purpose of testing the theory of tuning in equal temperament, at that time but little known. See
temperament .
Examples
“But in some ways it's a badge of honor to be important enough to cause them to lash out with such well-tempered vitriol.”
“He is designing private houses of stupendous but well-tempered poshness in Kensington and Oxfordshire.”
The Guardian: David Chipperfield: master of permanence | Interview
“Although often portrayed as the hallmark of inflated humanist rhetoric,149 the exercise of virtù was believed to cultivate a well-tempered character, enabling prince, courtier, and craftsman to maintain a sapient balance regardless of circumstance.”
Architecture and Memory: The Renaissance Studioli of Federico da Montefeltro
“A wise and well-tempered architect, incorporating experience and foresight, is essential to conduct the volatile dynamics of collaboration toward the goal of raising an edifice.”
Architecture and Memory: The Renaissance Studioli of Federico da Montefeltro
“The dataspace of the well-tempered environment will soon be invaded by logos, credits, banners and offers.”
“It also seems to carry the well-tempered glow of late Woody Allen with a well-satisfied view of late life and with few illusions.”
“Child prodigy Glenn Gould and his well-tempered tail-wagger”
“Still, Wiseman says even well-tempered nepotism is a wild card.”
“I actually read his speech, and while I could not disagree more fully on his approach towards abortion, I found his speech to be well-tempered, even, and well-placed for changing the conversation regarding abortion to the issues that truly matter.”
“It was enough to turn my usually patient, well-tempered friend into a cranky malcontent within the short block from TGI Fridays to Olive Garden.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘well-tempered’.
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well-hyphenated
well-appointed, well-founded, well-being, well-meaning, well-read, well-fixed, well-wordnikked, well-set, well-marked, well-done, well-timed, well-wish and 97 more...
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twelfth
words and concepts reflective of their twelveness
twelfthtide, well-tempered, twelve noon, twelvemo, duodecimo, twelvescore, twelvepence, twelfth-second, twelfth-night, twelfth-tide, twelfthly, twelfth man and 49 more...
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Adjectival Arcana
A roster of adjectives that infrequently surface in typical conversation and writing. Many are dredged from scientific or other technical jargon or sieved from examples of disused archaic forms.
unitegmic, acaulescent, reticuloendothelial, ingressive, uniate, acanthopterygian, ossific, epiphysial, perivisceral, acœlomatous, cestoid, acælomate and 7756 more...
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Back-to-Bach
A series of words discovered or revived from Paul Elie's Reinventing Bach
Lautenwerck, Cembalo, Radiola, Victrola, lautenwerck, well-tempered, Thuringia, Wanderjahr, fixity, 78s, Bonifatiuskirche, Widor and 26 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for well-tempered.
fbharjo twelfth root of 2 is its basis Mar 20, 2011