tamed









tamed


adjective, tam·er, tam·est.

  1. changed from the wild or savage state; domesticated: a tame bear.
  2. without the savageness or fear of humans normal in wild animals; gentle, fearless, or without shyness, as if domesticated: That lion acts as tame as a house cat.
  3. tractable, docile, or submissive, as a person or the disposition.
  4. lacking in excitement; dull; insipid: a very tame party.
  5. spiritless or pusillanimous.
  6. not to be taken very seriously; without real power or importance; serviceable but harmless: They kept a tame scientist around.
  7. brought into service; rendered useful and manageable; under control, as natural resources or a source of power.
  8. cultivated or improved by cultivation, as a plant or its fruit.

verb (used with object), tamed, tam·ing.

  1. to make tame; domesticate; make tractable.
  2. to deprive of courage, ardor, or zest.
  3. to deprive of interest, excitement, or attractiveness; make dull.
  4. to soften; tone down.
  5. to harness or control; render useful, as a source of power.
  6. to cultivate, as land or plants.

verb (used without object), tamed, tam·ing.

  1. to become tame.

adjective

  1. changed by man from a naturally wild state into a tractable, domesticated, or cultivated condition
  2. (of animals) not fearful of human contact
  3. lacking in spirit or initiative; meek or submissivea tame personality
  4. flat, insipid, or uninspiringa tame ending to a book
  5. slow-movinga tame current

verb (tr)

  1. to make tame; domesticate
  2. to break the spirit of, subdue, or curb
  3. to tone down, soften, or mitigate

adj.Old English tom, tam “domesticated, docile,” from Proto-Germanic *tamaz (cf. Old Norse tamr, Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch tam, Old High German zam, German zahm “tame,” Gothic tamjan “to tame”), from PIE *deme- “to constrain, to force, to break (horses)” (cf. Sanskrit damayati “tames;” Persian dam “a tame animal;” Greek daman “to tame, subdue,” dmetos “tame;” Latin domare “to tame, subdue;” Old Irish damnaim “I tie up, fasten, I tame, subdue”). Possible ulterior connection with PIE *dem- “house, household” (see domestic). Meaning “spiritless, weak, dull” is recorded from c.1600. v.early Middle English teme, from Old English temian “make tame” (see tame (adj.)); form altered 14c. by influence of the adjective. Related: Tamed; taming.

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