To taper is to get gradually narrower toward one end, or to make something do that; 'tapering' is that word with -ing, so it works in several ways.

To taper taper is是 to get gradually narrower toward one end朝一端逐漸變窄, or to make something do that或是讓某個東西變成那樣; 'tapering' is that word with -ing'tapering'就是這個字加上-ing, so it works in several ways所以可以有好幾種用法。

As a describing word before a noun — 'tapering fingers', 'a tapering column' — it means the same as tapered. In a sentence like 'the path was tapering into the trees', it is the verb happening right now. And it can name the thing itself: 'the tapering of the blade'.

As a describing word before a noun當作名詞前的形容詞用 — 'tapering fingers', 'a tapering column''tapering fingers'、'a tapering column' — it means the same as tapered意思跟tapered一樣。In a sentence like 'the path was tapering into the trees'在像'the path was tapering into the trees'這樣的句子裡, it is the verb happening right now它是正在發生的動詞。And it can name the thing itself它也可以當作事物本身的名稱: 'the tapering of the blade''the tapering of the blade'。

There is a second, wider use worth knowing: tapering also means slowly reducing an amount until it stops. Doctors talk about tapering a medicine so a patient does not stop all at once; economists talk about a central bank tapering its buying. That sense is common in news and is really the same picture — a thing getting thinner and thinner toward its end.

There is a second, wider use worth knowing還有第二種、比較廣的用法值得知道: tapering also means tapering也可以指 slowly reducing an amount until it stops慢慢減少數量，直到停止。Doctors talk about tapering a medicine醫生會說要tapering一種藥 so a patient does not stop all at once讓病人不會一下子完全停藥; economists talk about a central bank tapering its buying經濟學家會說央行在tapering它的購債規模。That sense is common in news這個用法在新聞裡很常見 and is really the same picture其實畫面是一樣的 — a thing getting thinner and thinner toward its end一個東西朝著尾端越來越細。