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   Tame

   /tām/

   

   adjective

   • 1. (of an animal) not dangerous or frightened of people; domesticated: "the fish are so tame you have to push them away from your face mask" Similar domesticateddomesticnot wilddociletameddisciplinedbrokenbroken-intrainednot fiercegentlemildused to humanspethouse-trainedhousebrokenOpposite wildfierce
   • ▪ (of a person) willing to cooperate: informal "every businessman needs a tame lawyer at his elbow" Similar docilesubmissivecompliantmeekobedienttractableacquiescentamenablemanageableunresistingpassivemildsubduedunder someone's control/thumbsuppressedunassertiveineffectualamenablebiddablecooperativeavailablewillingOpposite independentuncooperative
   • 2. not exciting, adventurous, or controversial: derogatory "network TV on Saturday night is a pretty tame affair" Similar unexcitinguninterestinguninspireduninspiringdullblandflatinsipidspiritlesspedestrianvapidlifelessdeadcolorlessrun-of-the-millmediocreordinaryprosaichumdrumboringtedioustiresomewearisomeharmlesssafeunobjectionableinoffensivemainstreaminformal:wishy-washyOpposite excitingadventurous
   • 3. (of a plant) produced by cultivation: North American "a big field of tame hay"
   • ▪ (of land) cultivated.

   verb

   • 1. domesticate (an animal): "wild rabbits can be kept in captivity and eventually tamed" Similar domesticatebreaktrainmastersubduesubjugatebring to heelenslave
   • ▪ make less powerful and easier to control: "the battle to tame inflation" Similar subduecurbcontrolcalmmasterbring to heeltone downwater downmoderatemitigatetranquillizeovercomedisciplinesuppressrepressmollifyhumblecowpacifymellowmutetempersoftenbridleget the better ofget a grip oninformal:lick
   • ▪ cultivate (land or wilderness).

   Word Origin Old Englishtam (adjective), temmian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tam and German zahm, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin domare and Greek daman ‘tame, subdue’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. tamable adjective
   • 2. tamely adverb
   • 3. tameness noun
   • 4. tamer noun

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • T

     1

   • A

     1

   • M

     3

   • E

     1

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