[ad. L. temperātūra the process or result of tempering, due measure and proportion, f. ppl. stem of temperāre: See -URE. Cf. F. température (1539 in Godef.).]
† 1. The action or process of tempering, in various senses of the verb; mixing or combination (of elements). Obs.
1550. Latimer, Serm. at Stamford, Serm. (1562), 100. We should learne viam dei, Goddes waye, and that truly, withoute mixture, temperature, blaunching, powderyng.
1569. J. Sanford, trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 159. Plinie declareth that, in the time of Tiberius … the temperature of glasse was invented.
1600. Holland, Livy, IX. xlvi. 350. Upon this good temperature of degrees, he purchased the surname of Maximus.
16[?]. Holland (Webster, 1864). Made a temperature of brass and iron together.
1677. Cleveland’s Poems, Life. He was Judge Advocate … and, by an excellent temperature of both, was a just and prudent Judge for the King, and a faithful Advocate for the Countrey.
† b. concr. That which tempers. Obs. rare.
1609. Bible (Douay), Ezek. xiii. Comm. A wal of clay or morter without straw or other temperature, is washed away with rayne.
† 2. The fact or state of being tempered or mixed, mixture; also, the condition resulting from the mixture or combination in various proportions of ingredients or elements; the composition, consistence, or complexion, so produced. Obs.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 8. By the increase or diminution of any of them [the four humours] in quantitie or qualytie, ouer or vnder their natural assignement, inequall temperature commeth into the body. Ibid. (1538), Dict., Addit., Crasis, a greke worde, sygnyfieth complexion, temperature, or myxture of naturall humours.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 28 b. There is in it a small temperature of the principales of the ayer and fyre.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXIV. ix. II. 505. The last temperature is that, which in Latine they call Ollaria, as one would say, the pot-brasse, for it taketh the name of that vessell whereto it is most emploied; and this is by tempering with every hundred pound weight of brasse, three or four pound weight of argentine lead or tin.
1602. How Man may Chuse Gd. Wife, IV. iii. Hath he not … Upon that crimson temperature of your cheeks, Laid a lead colour with his boist’rous blows?
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. ix. 36. Ashes have not exactly one temperature.
1675. Art Contentm., IV. xii. in all the concerns [of human life] … there is such a temperature and mixture, that the good do’s more than equal the ill.
a. 1768. Secker, Serm. (1770), III. i. 6. The first of these, and the Foundation of all the rest, is a proper Temperature of Fear and Love.
1786–7. Bonnycastle, Astron., xxi. 374. It is not credible that beings of our make and temperature could live upon them.
1826. R. Hall, Wks. (1832), VI. 53. Such a temperature of light and shade as that which distinguishes all his discoveries of himself.
† 3. Due measure and proportion in action, speech, thought, etc.; freedom from excess or violence; moderation. Obs.
1536. Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), II. 3. To haue the same vsed and setfurthe in suche a temperature, as by your wisedome ye shall thinke may conduce to thadvauncement of his affayres there. Ibid. (1539), 172. Vsing … in the proposicion therof & answers to be geven that sobernes and temperature as he may perceive is to be vsed.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXVI. ii. 286. As I hope, Fortune … will give the same unto me, seeking diligently … after a temperature and moderation.
1659. C. Noble, Mod. Answ. Immod. Queries, 14. If he would but say and do with that moderation and temperature as the late Protector … has said and done.
† b. A middle condition or position, a mean between opposites; a middle course, a compromise.
1594. Mirr. Policie (1599), D iij. A vertuous temperature between two vicious extremities.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), I. 37. In the midst of the earth there is an wholesome mixture from both sides:… the habit of mens bodies of a mean and indifferent constitution, the colour also showing a great temperature.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 37. To finde … some kinde of temperature, whereby the Republick might receive the Rights belonging thereunto from the Austrian subjects sailing those Seas.
1712. ? Hughes, Spect., No. 467, ¶ 9. His Constitution is a just Temperature between Indolence on one hand and Violence on the other.
† 4. The character or nature of a substance as supposed to be determined by the proportions of the four qualities (hot or cold, and dry or moist); = TEMPERAMENT 3. Obs.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1539), 17. Of the temperature of meates to be receyued. Ibid., 34 b. Drythe … happeneth in the substance of the body, either by to moche labour, or by the proper temperature of age.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, lxiv. 95. Hartes Horne is colde and dry in temperature much like Plantayne.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XVII. xxii. I. 529. If the ground be of a middle temperature, there ought to bee a space of fiue foot distance betweene every vine.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. xii. (1611), 120. The general received opinion is that the life of all things doth consist in calido and humido which is the temperature of blood.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 589. As concerning the temperature of beere there is no doubt but that it is hot.
[1771. Luckombe, Hist. Print., 366. An unproper temperature of the Tympan … is, when it is dry in one place and moist in another.]
† 5. The combination of ‘humours’ in the body; also, the bodily habit or constitution attributed to this; = TEMPERAMENT 6. Obs.
1561. Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 15 b. To know by what complexion or temperatur ye diseases are caused.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng. (1609), 5. In a mans body foure complexions or temperatures, as cholericke, sanguine, flegmatique & melancholique.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy. (1810), III. 310. The victuall of the countrey … might have been thought to have altered our temperatures.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Rem. (1644), 134. It is evident also, that men differ very much in the temperature of their bodies.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 43, ¶ 1. There is no temperature so exactly regulated but that some humour is fatally predominant.
1837. T. Jones, Chr. Warrior, IV. vi. 97. He [Satan] observes the temperature and complexion of such a man. If he be sanguine … he tempts him to incontinency.
† b. Constitutional bent of mind; disposition; = TEMPERAMENT 7. Obs.
1594. Spenser, Amoretti, xiii. In that proud port … Most goodly temperature ye may descry: Myld humblesse, mixt with awfull majesty.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iii. § 4. As touching the manners of learned men … no doubt there be amongst them, as in other professions, of all temperatures.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, I. xxviii. (1639), 45. It … is chiefly engendred of melancholy occupying the mind, and changing the temperature of it.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), I. 167. Any one may do a casual act of good-nature, but a continuation of them shews it is a part of the temperature.
† 6. A tempered or temperate condition of the weather or climate; also, a (qualified or specified) condition of these. Obs.
1531. Elyot, Gov., III. xxvi. The temperature or distemperature of the regions.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 217. Desiring of Him by Prayers to give raine and temperature, that the Earth may bring foorth Corne, Fruite, Hearbes,… and all other necessaries.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., IV. xxiv. 139. Thracia … [is] of an yll temperature, the ayre being vnwholesome, & not healthfull.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, II. 21. The temperature of this Country doth agree well with English constitutions.
1697. Dampier, Voy., I. xix. 529. I look upon this latitude [the Cape of Good Hope] to be one of the mildest and sweetest for its temperature, of any whatsoever.
1727. Swift, State Irel., ¶ 35. A country so favoured by nature … both in fruitfulness of soil, and temperature of climate.
7. The state of a substance or body with regard to sensible warmth or coldness, referred to some standard of comparison; spec. that quality or condition of a body which in degree varies directly with the amount of heat contained in the body, and inversely with its heat-capacity; commonly manifested by its imparting heat to, or receiving it from, contiguous bodies, and usually measured by means of a thermometer or similar instrument. (Now the ordinary sense.)
1670. Boyle (title), Of the Temperature of the Submarine Regions as to Heat and Cold. Ibid., iii. This person I diligently examined … as to the temperature of the lower parts of the sea (the knowledge of which is that alone that concerns us in this place); he several times complained to me of the coldness of the deep water.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 179, ¶ 7. A moderate Expence of Fire,… serves to keep this large Room in a due Temperature.
1743. G. Martine, Ess. & Obs. Thermometers (1780), 46. There is a Thermometer in pretty frequent use in England, wherein they conceive the middle temperature of the air as neither hot nor cold, which therefore they mark gr. 0, and number both above and below.
1791. trans. Pictet’s Ess. Fire, 11. The thermometer will show, by the degree observed on its scale, the temperature of the liquid.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sc. & Art, II. 47. The cause of them is, the difference in temperature between the air over the land and that over the water.
1820. W. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., I. 48. I have determined the mean temperature of the month of May.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xvi. 113. To record the lowest winter temperatures at the summit of the mountain.
1876. Bristowe, The. & Pract. Med. (1878), 99. The normal temperature of the body has been variously estimated; but, on the average, seems, in the adult, to range between 98.4° and 99.5°.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 72. A comparison of the temperatures shown by the two thermometers.
1888. Miss Braddon, Fatal Three, I. v. I took their temperatures this morning before I went to church.
fig. 1862. Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. xiv. 272. The temperature of the zeal of the different portions of the nation.
b. (colloq.) To have a temperature, i.e., one higher than the normal, as in fever.
1898. P. White, Millionaire’s Dau. (ed. Tauchn.), 88. Do you think I have a temperature?
1904. E. F. Benson, Challoners (ed. Tauchn.), 318. He has … had a temperature for nearly a week.
† 8. The temper of steel; = TEMPER sb. 5. Obs.
1580. Frampton, Iron & Steele, in Joyf. News (1596), 145. Iron so harde … that being wrought, it serueth for Steele, chiefly with a temperature that is giuen to it.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXXIV. xiv. II. 514. All our steele is of a more soft and gentle temperature than that of the Levant.
1603. [see TEMPER v. 14].
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 249. Giving them the Iron Mines of Biskay … with the temperature of Baion, Bilbo, Toledo, and Calataiut.
† 9. Music. = TEMPERAMENT sb. 10. Obs. rare–1.
1592. Lyly, Gallathea, III. iii. An Organist to tune your temperatures.
10. attrib. and Comb., as temperature-compensator, correction, log, sense; temperature-alarm: see quot. 1877; temperature-chart, (a) a chart or card containing a temperature-curve or its equivalent; (b) a chart of a region indicating temperatures at different points, as by isotherms; temperature-curve, a curve showing variations of temperature, usually in relation to equal periods of time, esp. in clinical use.
1872. W. Squire (title), Temperature Variations in the Diseases of Children.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., Temperature alarm, a device which automatically makes a signal when the temperature of the place where it is exceeds or falls below a determinate point.
1883. H. Morten, Hospital Life, 29. I admire her neat temperature chart, and then pass on to Nurse Lorna.
1893. A. S. Eccles, Sciatica, 59. It appears to be possible, by close attention to the distribution of hyperæsthesia, temperature-sense for heat, and loss of cutaneous temperature, to localize in a measure the extent to which the nerve-trunk or its branches is involved.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 639. A high temperature, marked fluctuations in the temperature curve, a rapid pulse.
1901. Daily News, 12 Jan., 6/2. All the levers,… connecting rods, carriers, supporting rods, bell cranks, temperature compensators.
Hence Temperatured a., in comb., having temperature of a stated kind.
1836. J. Wesley, Comp. Nat. Phil. (Rev. ed.), II. 204. The higher the temperature of the animal the more it is subject to annoyance from these parasites; and as high-temperatured animals are those in which the skin has the greatest action, and is, in consequence, the most subject to be loaded with the matter of perspiration and other refuse, such animals stand most in need of the warnings of these little monitors.
1892. Temple Bar Mag., Nov., 444. The inner door shuts her … into this pleasant-temperatured privacy.
