tame

• POS: Adjective, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

tame, v. t. [Cf. F. entamer to cut into, to broach.].

 To broach or enter upon; to taste, as a liquor; to divide; to distribute; to deal out.  [1913 Webster]
"In the time of famine he is the Joseph of the country, and keeps the poor from starving. Then he tameth his stacks of corn, which not his covetousness, but providence, hath reserved for time of need."  [1913 Webster]

tame, a. [AS. tam; akin to D. tam, G. zahm, OHG. zam, Dan. & Sw. tam, Icel. tamr, L. domare to tame, Gr. , Skr. dam to be tame, to tame, and perhaps to E. beteem. √61. Cf. Adamant, Diamond, Dame, Daunt, Indomitable.].

•  Reduced from a state of native wildness and shyness; accustomed to man; domesticated; domestic; as, a tame deer, a tame bird.  [1913 Webster]
•  Crushed; subdued; depressed; spiritless.  [1913 Webster]

  "Tame slaves of the laborious plow."  [1913 Webster]
•  Deficient in spirit or animation; spiritless; dull; flat; insipid; as, a tame poem; tame scenery.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Gentle; mild; meek. See Gentle.

tame, v. t. [AS. tamian, temian, akin to D. tammen, temmen, G. zähmen, OHG. zemmen, Icel. temja, Goth. gatamjan. See Tame, a.].

•  To reduce from a wild to a domestic state; to make gentle and familiar; to reclaim; to domesticate; as, to tame a wild beast.  [1913 Webster]

  "They had not been tamed into submission, but baited into savegeness and stubbornness."  [1913 Webster]
•  To subdue; to conquer; to repress; as, to tame the pride or passions of youth.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tame, adj. & v.
--adj.
1 (of an animal) domesticated; not wild or shy.
2 insipid; lacking spirit or interest; dull (tame acquiescence).
3 (of a person) amenable and available.
4 US a (of land) cultivated. b (of a plant) produced by cultivation.
--v.tr.
1 make tame; domesticate; break in.
2 subdue, curb, humble; break the spirit of.

Derivative

tamely adv. tameness n. tamer n. (also in comb.).

Etymology

OE tam f. Gmc

THESAURUS

tame

abate, abeyant, acclimate, acclimatize, accommodate, accustom, adapt, adjust, allay, alleviate, amenable, apathetic, assuage, attemper, bank the fire, bed, bed down, biddable, bland, blunt, boring, break, break in, break to harness, bridle, broken, brush, bust, busted, calm, case harden, cataleptic, catatonic, chasten, chastened, compliant, condition, confirm, constrain, control, cowardly, curb, curry, currycomb, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, dead, deaden, diminish, disciplined, docile, domestic, domesticate, domesticated, domesticize, domiciliate, dopey, dormant, dovelike, downplay, drench, dull, establish, extenuate, familiarize, fearless, feeble, feed, fix, flat, fodder, foul, gentle, groggy, groom, habituate, handle, harden, harness, heavy, hitch, house-train, housebreak, housebroken, humble, humdrum, in abeyance, in suspense, inactive, ineffectual, inert, insipid, inure, judicious, keep within bounds, lamblike, languid, languorous, latent, lay, leaden, lenify, lessen, lifeless, lighten, lily-livered, litter, logy, manage, master, meek, mild, mild as milk, milk, mitigate, moderate, modulate, mollify, mute, naturalize, nonviolent, obedient, obtund, ordinary, orient, orientate, pacific, pacifistic, pacify, palliate, passive, peaceable, peaceful, phlegmatic, play down, pliable, pliant, prosaic, prudent, pusillanimous, quiet, reduce, reduce the temperature, restrain, rub down, run-of-the-mill, saddle, season, sedentary, slack, slacken, sleeping, slow down, sluggish, slumbering, smoldering, smother, sober, sober down, soft, soften, stagnant, standing, static, stifle, subdue, subdued, subjugate, submissive, suppress, suppressed, suspended, tamed, tedious, temper, temperate, tend, timid, timorous, tiresome, tone down, torpid, tractable, train, trained, tune down, unafraid, unaroused, unassertive, underplay, unexciting, uninspired, uninteresting, vapid, water, weaken, white-livered, wishy-washy, wont, yellow, yoke

ROGET THESAURUS

tame

Feebleness

N feebleness, feeble, bald, tame, meager, jejune, vapid, bland, trashy, lukewarm, cold, frigid, poor, dull, dry, languid, colorless, enervated, proposing, prosy, prosaic, unvaried, monotonous, weak, washy, wishy- washy, sketchy, slight, careless, slovenly, loose, lax (negligent), slipshod, slipslop, inexact, puerile, childish, flatulent, rambling.

Subjection

VB be subject, be at the mercy of, lie at the mercy of, depend upon, lean upon, hang upon, fall a prey to, fall under, play second fiddle, be a mere machine, be a puppet, be a football, not dare to say one's soul is his own, drag a chain, serve, obey, submit, break in, tame, subject, subjugate, master, tread down, tread under foot, weigh down, drag at one's chariot wheels, reduce to subjection, reduce to slavery, enthrall, inthrall, bethrall, enslave, lead captive, take into custody, rule, drive into a corner, hold at the sword's point, keep under, hold in bondage, hold in leading strings, hold in swaddling clothes.

Insensibility

N insensibility, insensibleness, moral insensibility, inertness, inertia, vis inertiae, impassibility, impassibleness, inappetency, apathy, phlegm, dullness, hebetude, supineness, lukewarmness, cold fit, cold blood, cold heart, coldness, coolness, frigidity, sang froid, stoicism, imperturbation, nonchalance, unconcern, dry eyes, insouciance, recklessness, callousness, heart of stone, stock and stone, marble, deadness, torpor, torpidity, obstupefaction, lethargy, coma, trance, vegetative state, sleep, suspended animation, stupor, stupefaction, paralysis, palsy, numbness, neutrality, quietism, vegetation, insensible, unconscious, impassive, impassible, blind to, deaf to, dead to, unsusceptible, insusceptible, unimpressionable, unimpressible, passionless, spiritless, heartless, soulless, unfeeling, unmoral, apathetic, leuco-, phlegmatic, dull, frigid, cold blooded, cold hearted, cold as charity, flat, maudlin, obtuse, inert, supine, sluggish, torpid, torpedinous, torporific, sleepy, languid, half-hearted, tame, numbed, comatose, anaesthetic, stupefied, chloroformed, drugged, stoned, palsy-stricken, indifferent, lukewarm, careless, mindless, regardless, inattentive, neglectful, disregarding, unconcerned, nonchalant, pococurante, insouciant, sans souci, unambitious, unaffected, unruffled, unimpressed, uninspired, unexcited, unmoved, unstirred, untouched, unshocked, unstruck, unblushing, unanimated, vegetative, callous, thick-skinned, hard-nosed, pachydermatous, impervious, hardened, inured, casehardened, steeled against, proof against, imperturbable, unfelt, insensibly, aequo animo, without being moved, without being touched, without being impressed, in cold blood, with dry eyes, with withers unwrung, never mind, macht nichts, it is of no consequence, it cannot be helped, nothing coming amiss, it is all the same to, it is all one to.

Inexcitability

N inexcitability, imperturbability, inirritability, even temper, tranquil mind, dispassion, tolerance, patience, coolth, passiveness, hebetude, hebetation, impassibility, stupefaction, coolness, calmness, composure, placidity, indisturbance, imperturbation, sang froid, tranquility, serenity, quiet, quietude, peace of mind, mental calmness, staidness, gravity, sobriety, Quakerism, philosophy, equanimity, stoicism, command of temper, self-possession, self-control, self-command, self-restraint, ice water in one's veins, presence of mind, submission, resignation, sufferance, supportance, endurance, longsufferance, forbearance, longanimity, fortitude, patience of Job, patience on a monument, patience 'sovereign o'er transmuted ill', moderation, repression of feelings, subjugation of feeling, restraint, tranquillization, inexcitable, unexcitable, imperturbable, unsusceptible, unpassionate, dispassionate, cold-blooded, irritable, enduring, stoical, Platonic, philosophic, staid, stayed, sober, sober minded, grave, sober as a judge, grave as a judge, sedate, demure, cool-headed, easy-going, peaceful, placid, calm, quiet as a mouse, tranquil, serene, cool as a cucumber, cool as a custard, undemonstrative, temperate, composed, collected, unexcited, unstirred, unruffled, undisturbed, unperturbed, unimpassioned, unoffended, unresisting, meek, tolerant, patient, patient as Job, submissive, tame, content, resigned, chastened, subdued, lamblike, gentle as a lamb, suaviter in modo, mild as mothers milk, soft as peppermint, armed with patience, bearing with, clement, long-suffering, like patience on a monument smiling at grief, aequo animo, in cold blood, more in sorrow than in anger, Int, patience!, and shuffle the cards, cool calm and collected, keep calm in the midst of a storm, adversity's sweet milk, philosophy, mens aequa in arduis philosophia stemma non inspec, quo me cumque rapit tempestas deferor hospes, they also serve who only stand and wait.

Physical Inertness

N physical inertness, inertness, dullness, inertia, vis inertiae, inertion, inactivity, torpor, languor, quiescence, latency, inaction, passivity, mental inertness, sloth, inexcitability, irresolution, obstinacy, permanence, rare gas, paraffin, noble metal, unreactivity, inert, inactive, passive, torpid, sluggish, dull, heavy, flat, slack, tame, slow, blunt, unreactive, lifeless, dead, uninfluential, latent, dormant, smoldering, unexerted, inactively, in suspense, in abeyance.

Moderation

VB be moderate, keep within bounds, keep within compass, sober down, settle down, keep the peace, remit, relent, take in sail, moderate, soften, mitigate, temper, accoy, attemper, contemper, mollify, lenify, dulcify, dull, take off the edge, blunt, obtund, sheathe, subdue, chasten, sober down, tone down, smooth down, weaken, lessen, check palliate, tranquilize, pacify, assuage, appease, swag, lull, soothe, compose, still, calm, calm down, cool, quiet, hush, quell, sober, pacify, tame, damp, lay, allay, rebate, slacken, smooth, alleviate, rock to sleep, deaden, smooth, throw cold water on, throw a wet blanket over, turn off, slake, curb, tame, smooth over, pour oil on the waves, pour oil on the troubled waters, pour balm into, mattre de l'eau dans son vin, go out like a lamb, roar you as gently as any sucking dove, be moderate, keep within bounds, keep within compass, sober down, settle down, keep the peace, remit, relent, take in sail, moderate, soften, mitigate, temper, accoy, attemper, contemper, mollify, lenify, dulcify, dull, take off the edge, blunt, obtund, sheathe, subdue, chasten, sober down, tone down, smooth down, weaken, lessen, check palliate, tranquilize, pacify, assuage, appease, swag, lull, soothe, compose, still, calm, calm down, cool, quiet, hush, quell, sober, pacify, tame, damp, lay, allay, rebate, slacken, smooth, alleviate, rock to sleep, deaden, smooth, throw cold water on, throw a wet blanket over, turn off, slake, curb, tame, smooth over, pour oil on the waves, pour oil on the troubled waters, pour balm into, mattre de l'eau dans son vin, go out like a lamb, roar you as gently as any sucking dove.

N moderation, lenity, temperateness, gentleness, sobriety, quiet, mental calmness, moderating, anaphrodisia, relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization, assuagement, contemporation, pacification, measure, juste milieu, golden mean, ariston metron, moderator, lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum, rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora, wet blanket, palliative, moderate, lenient, gentle, mild, mellow, cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured, tempered, calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still, slow, smooth, untroubled, tame, peaceful, peaceable, pacific, halcyon, unexciting, unirritating, soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, antiorgastic, anaphrodisiac, mild as mother's milk, milk and water, moderately, gingerly, piano, under easy sail, at half speed, within bounds, within compass, in reason, est modue in rebus, pour oil on troubled waters.

Husbandry

VB tame, domesticate, acclimatize, breed, tend, break in, train, cage, bridle.

N husbandry, taming, circuration, zoohygiantics, domestication, domesticity, manege, veterinary art, farriery, breeding, pisciculture, menagerie, vivarium, zoological garden, bear pit, aviary, apiary, alveary, beehive, hive, aquarium, fishery, duck pond, fish pond, phthisozoics, euthanasia, sacrifice, humane destruction, neatherd, cowherd, shepherd, grazier, drover, cowkeeper, trainer, breeder, apiarian, apiarist, bull whacker, cowboy, cow puncher, farrier, horse leech, horse doctor, vaquero, veterinarian, vet, veterinary surgeon, cage, hencoop, bird cage, cauf, range, sheepfold, pastoral, bucolic, tame, domestic.

Teaching

VB teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot, improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted.