taper

taper
noun
  1. a slender candle
    细支小蜡烛
    ■a wick coated with wax, used for conveying a flame
    (用蜡包的)点火媒
  2. a gradual narrowing
    逐渐变窄;逐渐变细
    the strong taper of her back.
    她的后背明显上宽下窄。
    [mass noun]a small degree of taper.
    稍微向里收拢。
verb
  1. diminish or reduce or cause to diminish or reduce in thickness towards one end
    (使)成锥形
    [no obj.]the tail tapers to a rounded tip.
    尾巴逐渐变细成一个绕成圈的尾尖。
    [with obj.]David asked my dressmaker to taper his trousers.
    大卫要我的裁缝把他的裤子改瘦些。
    ■gradually lessen
    逐渐减轻
    the impact of the dollar's depreciation started to taper off.
    美元贬值的冲击开始逐渐减弱。
语源
  1. Old English (denoting any wax candle), dissimilated form (by alteration of p- to t-) of Latin papyrus (see papyrus), the pith of which was used for candle wicks
英语宝典
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