越來越細的形狀
細蠟燭那種從粗到細、一路收尖的外形，被拿來講所有東西的收窄。這一家講的都是形狀，不是數量。
verb · B2
To get gradually narrower toward one end, or to make something narrower toward one end. The narrowing is smooth and slow, not a sudden step.
逐漸變細
核心畫面
A very thin candle standing on a table. It is long and slim, and it comes to a fine point at the top, so your eye runs from the wide end down to almost nothing. Light it and a second thing happens: it does not go out all at once, it goes down a little at a time until there is nothing left. Those two pictures, narrowing to a point and getting smaller little by little, can hold every use of the word. The word first named the candle itself; treating the shape and the slow as growing out of it is a way to see the word, not a proven history.
「taper」可以想成桌上一支細細的蠟燭。它又長又瘦，往上收成一個尖，眼睛從粗的那頭一路看到幾乎沒有。點著以後還有第…更多收起
「taper」可以想成桌上一支細細的蠟燭。它又長又瘦，往上收成一個尖，眼睛從粗的那頭一路看到幾乎沒有。點著以後還有第二個畫面：它不會一下子熄掉，而是一點一點往下少，慢慢燒到剩沒有。收成尖的、慢慢變少，這兩個畫面大概就撐得起這個字的所有用法。字典能確定的只有一件事：這個字最早指的就是蠟燭。形狀和漸減的用法怎麼長出來的，這裡只當成一種好記的想法，不是歷史定論。From the word’s history
The oldest recorded meaning is the candle: Middle English taper, from Old English tapor, meaning a taper, a candle, or the wick of a lamp. The further origin is uncertain. One suggestion is Latin papyrus, used in mediaeval times for a candle wick; another points to Celtic words such as Irish tapar and Welsh tampr.
字典記載最早的意思就是蠟燭：中古英語 taper，來自古英語 tapor（蠟燭、燈芯）。再往前的來源不確定。一種說法是拉丁文 papyrus，中世紀被用來指燭芯；另一種說法指向凱爾特語系，例如愛爾蘭語 tapar、威爾斯語 tampr。字典自己也只寫「可能」，所以這條線就到這裡為止。
Wiktionary, taper (etymology 1), as supplied in this evidence packet (kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:673823222)
Three branches
數量慢慢往下減
這一家把「越來越細」從寬度搬到數量上。蠟燭點著以後一點一點燒短，正好是同一個畫面換一個量度。
verb · B2
To reduce an amount slowly and in steps, or to get smaller in that slow way, until it is small or stops. It is used for things like medicine, training, spending, rain, and noise.
逐漸減少
細蠟燭與引火的細條
這一家就是核心畫面本身，也是字典記載最早的用法。兩個意思都指細細長長、尖端有火的東西。
noun · B2
A very thin candle, much slimmer than an ordinary one and often long, of the kind used on a table or in a church.
細蠟燭
原始詞典資料15 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
tapernoun詞源 1/ˈteɪpə/
- 1
A slender wax candle.
- Strike on the Tinder, hoa: Giue me a Taper […]
- Take not away the Taper, leaue it burning […]
- 2
A small light.
- 3
A tapering form; gradual diminution of thickness and/or cross section in an elongated object.
- the taper of a spire
- The legs of the table had a slight taper to them.
- 4
The portion of an object with such a form.
- ensuring the cleanliness of the taper of a machine tool spindle or of a tool shank
- 5
historicalA long wick or thin stick used for transferring flames to candles, now usually chemically-treated to burn particularly slowly.
- 6
A cone-shaped item for stretching the hole for an ear gauge (piercing).
- 7
Gradual reduction over time.
- a drug taper
taperverb詞源 1/ˈteɪpə/
- 1
To make thinner or narrower at one end.
- Though true cylinders without — within, the villainous green goggling glasses deceitfully tapered downwards to a cheating bottom.
- 2
To become thinner or narrower at one end.
- Like other supertall towers, 432 Park relies on the counterweight system to address the forces of wind and reduce the feeling of swaying for residents. But unlike many other supertall towers that are tiered or taper toward the top, 432 Park is rectangular, making it less aerodynamic.
- 3
To diminish gradually.
- Current major clinical practice guidelines provide little support for clinicians wishing to help patients discontinue or taper antidepressants in terms of mitigating and managing withdrawal symptoms.
- 4
businessfinanceTo tighten monetary policy.
taperadj詞源 1/ˈteɪpə/
- 1
Tapered; narrowing to a point.
tapernoun詞源 2/ˈteɪpə/
- 1
businessmanufacturingtextilesOne who operates a tape machine.
- 2
Someone who works with tape or tapes.
這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。