Part 432

At"tal (&?;), n. Same as Attle.

At*tame" (&?;), v. t. [OF. atamer, from Latin. See Attaminate.] 1. To pierce; to attack. [Obs.]

2. To broach; to begin.

And right anon his tale he hath attamed. Chaucer.

At*tam"i*nate (&?;), v. t. [L. attaminare; ad + root of tangere. See Contaminate.] To corrupt; to defile; to contaminate. [Obs.] Blount.

At"tar (&?;), n. [Per. 'atar perfume, essence, Ar. 'itr, fr. 'atara to smell sweet. Cf. Otto.] A fragrant essential oil; esp., a volatile and highly fragrant essential oil obtained from the petals of roses. [Also written otto and ottar.]

At*task" (&?;), v. t. [Pref. a- + task.] To take to task; to blame. Shak.

At*taste (&?;), v. t. [Pref. a- + taste.] To taste or cause to taste. [Obs.] Chaucer.

At"te (&?;). At the. [Obs.] Chaucer.

At*tem"per (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attempered (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Attempering.] [OF. atemprer, fr. L. attemperare; ad + temperare to soften, temper. See Temper, and cf. Attemperate.] 1. To reduce, modify, or moderate, by mixture; to temper; to regulate, as temperature.

If sweet with bitter . . . were not attempered still. Trench.

2. To soften, mollify, or moderate; to soothe; to temper; as, to attemper rigid justice with clemency.

3. To mix in just proportion; to regulate; as, a mind well attempered with kindness and justice.

4. To accommodate; to make suitable; to adapt.

Arts . . . attempered to the lyre. Pope.

This word is now not much used, the verb temper taking its place.

At*tem"per*a*ment (&?;), n. [OF. attemprement.] A tempering, or mixing in due proportion.

At*tem"per*ance (&?;), n. [Cf. OF. atemprance.] Temperance; attemperament. [Obs.] Chaucer.

At*tem"per*ate (&?;), a. [L. attemperatus, p. p. of attemperare. See Attemper.] Tempered; proportioned; properly adapted.

Hope must be . . . attemperate to the promise. Hammond.

At*tem"per*ate (&?;), v. t. To attemper. [Archaic]

At*tem`per*a"tion (&?;), n. The act of attempering or regulating. [Archaic] Bacon.

At*tem"per*ly, adv. Temperately. [Obs.] Chaucer.

At*tem"per*ment (&?;), n. Attemperament.

At*tempt" (?; 215), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attempted; p. pr. & vb. n. Attempting.] [OF. atenter, also spelt atempter, F. attenter, fr. L. attentare to attempt; ad + tentare, temptare, to touch, try, v. intens. of tendere to stretch. See Tempt, and cf. Attend.] 1. To make trial or experiment of; to try; to endeavor to do or perform (some action); to assay; as, to attempt to sing; to attempt a bold flight.

Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose. Longfellow.

2. To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt. [Obs. or Archaic]

It made the laughter of an afternoon That Vivien should attempt the blameless king. Thackeray.