Moderate MOD'ERATE, a. [L. moderatus, from moderor, to limit,
from modus, a limit.] 1. Literally, limited; restrained; hence,
temperate; observing reasonable bounds in indulgence; as moderate
in eating or drinking, or in other gratifications. 2. Limited in
quantity; not excessive or expensive. He keeps a moderate table.
3. Restrained in passion, ardor or temper; not violent; as moderate
men of both parties. 4. Not extreme in opinion; as a moderate
Calvinist or Lutheran. 5. Placed between extremes; holding the mean
or middle place; as reformation of a moderate kind. 6. Temperate;
not extreme, violent or rigorous; as moderate weather; a moderate winter;
moderate heat; a moderate breeze of wind. 7. Of a middle rate; as
men of moderate abilities. 8. Not swift; as a moderate walk. MOD'ERATE, v.t. To restrain from excess of any kind; to reduce
from a state of violence; to lessen; to allay; to repress; as, to moderate
rage, action, desires, etc.; to moderate heat or wind. 1. To temper;
to make temperate; to qualify. By its astringent quality, it moderates
the relaxing quality of warm water. MOD'ERATE, v.i. To become
less violent, severe, rigorous or intense. The cold or winter usually
moderates in March; the heat of summer moderates in September.
moderate
adj 1: being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive
or extreme; "moderate prices"; "a moderate income"; "a
moderate fine"; "moderate demands"; "a moderate
estimate"; "a moderate eater"; "moderate success"; "a
kitchen of moderate size"; "the X-ray showed moderate
enlargement of the heart" [ant: immoderate]
2: not extreme; "a moderate penalty"; "temperate in his response
to criticism" [syn: moderate, temperate]
3: marked by avoidance of extravagance or extremes; "moderate in
his demands"; "restrained in his response" [syn: moderate,
restrained]
n 1: a person who takes a position in the political center [syn:
centrist, middle of the roader, moderate,
moderationist]
v 1: preside over; "John moderated the discussion" [syn:
moderate, chair, lead]
2: make less fast or intense; "moderate your speed"
3: lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or
keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold
your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger" [syn:
control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb,
moderate]
4: make less severe or harsh; "He moderated his tone when the
students burst out in tears" [syn: mince, soften,
moderate]
5: make less strong or intense; soften; "Tone down that
aggressive letter"; "The author finally tamed some of his
potentially offensive statements" [syn: tone down,
moderate, tame]
6: restrain [syn: chasten, moderate, temper]
moderate I. adjectiveEtymology: Middle English, from Latin moderatus, from past
participle of moderare to moderate; akin to Latin modus
measure Date: 15th century 1.a. avoiding extremes of behavior or expression ; observing
reasonable limits <a moderate drinker> b.calm,
temperate2.a. tending toward the mean or average amount or dimension
b. having average or less than average quality ;mediocre3. professing or characterized by political or social beliefs
that are not extreme 4. limited in scope or effect 5. not
expensive ; reasonable or low in price 6.of a color
of medium lightness and medium chroma • moderatelyadverb
• moderatenessnounII. verb (-ated; -ating)
Date: 15th century transitive verb1. to lessen the intensity or extremeness of <the sun
moderated the chill> 2. to preside over or act as
chairman of
intransitive verb1. to act as a moderator 2.
to become less violent, severe, or intense <the wind began to
moderate>
• moderationnounIII. nounDate: 1794 one who holds moderate views or who belongs to a group
favoring a moderate course or program
moderate adj., n., & v. --adj. 1 avoiding extremes; temperate in conduct or expression. 2 fairly or tolerably large or good. 3 (of the wind) of medium strength. 4 (of prices) fairly
low. --n. a person who holds moderate views, esp. in politics. --v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become less violent, intense, rigorous, etc. 2 tr. (also absol.) act as a moderator of or to. 3
tr. Physics retard (neutrons) with a moderator. Derivatives: moderately adv. moderateness n. moderatism n. Etymology: ME f. L moderatus past part. of moderare reduce, control:
rel. to MODEST
moderate
(moderated)Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1. Moderate political opinions or policies are not extreme.
He was an easygoing man of very moderate views...Both countries have called for a moderate approach to the use of force.≠ extreme
ADJ
2. You use moderate to describe people or groups who have moderate political opinions
or policies.
...a moderate Democrat....the moderate wing of the army.ADJ
• A moderate is someone with moderate political opinions.
If he presents himself as a radical he risks scaring off the moderates.N-COUNT
3. You use moderate to describe something that is neither large nor small in amount
or degree.
While a moderate amount of stress can be beneficial, too much stress can exhaust you....moderate exercise.= reasonable
≠ excessive
ADJ: usu ADJ n
• moderatelyBoth are moderately large insects.= reasonably
ADV: usu ADV adj/-ed, also ADV after v
4. A moderate change in something is a change that is not great.
Most drugs offer either no real improvement or, at best, only moderate improvements.ADJ
• moderatelyShare prices on the Tokyo Exchange declined moderately.ADV: ADV after v
5. If you moderate something or if it moderates, it becomes less extreme or
violent and easier to deal with or accept.
They are hoping that once in office he can be persuaded to moderate his views...Amongst relief workers, the immediate sense of crisis has moderated somewhat...VERB: V n, V
• moderationA moderation in food prices helped to offset the first increase in energy prices.N-UNCOUNT: oft N of/in n
moderate
̘. ̈n.ˈmɔdərɪt adj., n., & v. --adj. 1 avoiding extremes;
temperate in conduct or expression. 2 fairly or tolerably large or good. 3
(of the wind) of medium strength. 4 (of prices) fairly low. --n. a person who
holds moderate views, esp. in politics. --v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become
less violent, intense, rigorous, etc. 2 tr. (also absol.) act as a moderator
of or to. 3 tr. Physics retard (neutrons) with a moderator. øømoderately
adv. moderateness n. moderatism n. [ME f. L moderatus past part. of moderare
reduce, control: rel. to MODEST]
Moderate \Mod"er*ate\, n. (Eccl. Hist.)
One of a party in the Church of Scotland in the 18th century,
and part of the 19th, professing moderation in matters of
church government, in discipline, and in doctrine.
Moderate \Mod"er*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Moderated; p. pr. &
vb. n. Moderating.]
1. To restrain from excess of any kind; to reduce from a
state of violence, intensity, or excess; to keep within
bounds; to make temperate; to lessen; to allay; to
repress; to temper; to qualify; as, to moderate rage,
action, desires, etc.; to moderate heat or wind.
By its astringent quality, it moderates the relaxing
quality of warm water. --Arbuthnot.
To moderate stiff minds disposed to strive.
--Spenser.
2. To preside over, direct, or regulate, as a public meeting;
as, to moderate a synod.
Moderate \Mod"er*ate\, a. [L. moderatus, p. p. of moderate,
moderati, to moderate, regulate, control, fr. modus measure.
See Mode.]
Kept within due bounds; observing reasonable limits; not
excessive, extreme, violent, or rigorous; limited;
restrained; as:
(a) Limited in quantity; sparing; temperate; frugal; as,
moderate in eating or drinking; a moderate table.
(b) Limited in degree of activity, energy, or excitement;
reasonable; calm; slow; as, moderate language; moderate
endeavors.
(c) Not extreme in opinion, in partisanship, and the like;
as, a moderate Calvinist.
A number of moderate members managed . . . to
obtain a majority in a thin house. --Swift.
(d) Not violent or rigorous; temperate; mild; gentle; as, a
moderate winter. ``Moderate showers.'' --Walter.
(e) Limited as to degree of progress; as, to travel at
moderate speed.
(f) Limited as to the degree in which a quality, principle,
or faculty appears; as, an infusion of moderate strength;
a man of moderate abilities.
(g) Limited in scope or effects; as, a reformation of a
moderate kind. --Hooker.
Moderate \Mod"er*ate\, v. i.
1. To become less violent, severe, rigorous, or intense; as,
the wind has moderated.
2. To preside as a moderator.
Dr. Barlow [was] engaged . . . to moderate for him
in the divinity disputation. --Bp. Barlow's
Remains
(1693).
moderate
̘. ̈n.ˈmɔdərɪt adj.
1 temperate, calm, reasonable, cool, judicious, rational, balanced, unexcessive, modest,
sober, sensible, commonsensical, controlled, deliberate, steady: In view of the conflicting
interests expressed, the council has adopted a moderate policy regarding parking.
2 centre, middle-of-the-road, non-radical, non-reactionary: Bella's political outlook
is said by some to be moderate.
3 fair, middling, average, ordinary, medium, middle, modest, mediocre, unexceptional,
Colloq fair to middling: They have a good range of clothing, all sold at very moderate prices. --n.
4 middle-of-the-roader, non-radical, non-reactionary, centrist: Where do the moderates
stand on the issue of constitutional reform? --v.
5 abate, calm, mollify, soothe, ease, relax, alleviate, mitigate, soften, dull, blunt,
cushion, relieve, reduce, lessen, remit, slacken, diminish, decrease, defuse, temper, Colloq let up
(on): He would get along better if he moderated the violence of his reactions and learned to relax.
6 mediate, arbitrate, referee, judge, chair, supervise, preside (over), coordinate, run,
regulate, manage, direct: Professor Gill will moderate the panel discussion.
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