dis|tem|per

dis|tem|per¹ «dihs TEHM puhr», noun, verb.

–n.

1. a) an infectious disease of dogs and other animals, accompanied by fever, a short, dry cough, and weakness. It is caused by a virus and affects chiefly young dogs. b) a serious viral disease of cats; feline enteritis: »

Kittens should get injections to protect them against distemper.

c) a bacterial disease of horses; strangles.

2. a sickness of the mind or body; disorder; disease: »

Of no distemper, of no blast he died (Milton).

3. Figurative. disturbance. SYNONYM(S): disorder, derangement.

╂[partly verb; partly on analogy of temper¹]

–v.t.

to make unbalanced; disturb; disorder: »

... the plight of the decent man in a sorely distempered society (Atlantic).

SYNONYM(S): trouble, vex, upset.

╂[Middle English destempren mix badly, or derange (the bodily humors) < Old French destemprer < Late Latin distemperāre mix improperly < Latin dis- not + temperāre mix in proper proportion]

dis|tem|per² «dihs TEHM puhr», noun, verb.

–n.

1. paint made by mixing the colors with eggs or glue instead of oil; tempera. Distemper is often used for painting on plaster walls.

2. a method of painting with such a mixture.

3. a picture painted by this method.

4. British. calcimine.

╂[< verb]

–v.t.

1. to paint in distemper.

2. to mix (colors) by the distemper method.

3. British. to calcimine.

4. Obsolete. to dilute; dissolve; soak.

╂[< Old French destemprer dissolve, soak < Late Latin distemperāre mix thoroughly; see etym. under distemper¹ (Cf. ↑distemper)]