taper
verb [intransitive, transitive]Verb Forms
Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they taper | |
| he / she / it tapers | |
| past simple tapered | |
| past participle tapered | |
| -ing form tapering |
to become gradually narrower; to make something become gradually narrower （使）逐渐变窄 The tail tapered to a rounded tip. 尾部越来越细，最后成了个圆尖。 The leaves are long, tapering to a point at each end. 叶子很长，两端逐渐变细。 - taper something
The pots are wide at the base and tapered at the top. 这些壶底部粗，顶部细。
Word OriginOld English (denoting any wax candle), dissimilated form (by alteration of p- to t-) of Latin papyrus (from Greek papuros), the pith of which was used for candle wicks.