What is tempered?

Famous quotes containing the word tempered:

“Never durst poet touch a pen to write
Until his ink were tempered with love’s sighs.
O then his lines would ravish savage ears,
And plant in tyrants mild humility.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

“The generation of women before us who rushed to fill the corporate ranks altered our expectations of what working motherhood could be, tempered our ambition, and exploded the supermom myth many of us held dear.”
—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)

“Children also need opportunities to practice being less than perfect. They can afford to be ill tempered with us because it is our love that is most constant. This is the essence of unconditional love.... Our steadfast love provides a safe haven.”
—Cathy Rindner Tempelsman (20th century)