From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtaperta‧per1 /ˈteɪpə $ -ər/ verb [intransitive, transitive] NARROWto become gradually narrower towards one end, or to make something become narrower at one endtaper to His wide chest tapers to a small waist. —tapering adjective long tapering fingers → taper off→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
taper• The cue maker then carefully chooses and seasons the wood, before tapering and sanding it down on a lathe.• All the small buttocks somehow showed and, below that, the small muscled legs and tapering bare feet.• Ideally, they should be trimmed to form an A-shape with the sides tapering in slightly towards the top.• The human spine tapers off at its base.• Perhaps the expansion can continue and possibly it will one day taper off in benign fashion.• Political violence tapered off significantly as the election approached.• The walls are 7 feet thick at the base and taper to 28 inches at the top.• The girl's forehead was broad, tapering to a delicate chin.• The leaves are bright green and taper to a point at the tip.• Six feet tall, he was in his forties, had a long bony face tapering to a pointed jaw.• In the north the island is six miles across, but it tapers to two in the south.• The jeans taper towards the ankle.tapertaper2 noun [countable] 1 DHa very thin candle small boys holding lighted tapers2 TBURNa piece of string covered in wax, used for lighting lamps, candles etc The box contained a taper to light each firework.Examples from the Corpus
taper• There was a scrape as she brought a taper forth from a tin box and leaned towards the fire to light it.• Now that there is a taper, they complain just as loudly.• John twisted soft iron wire around some thick dowelling, whittled to a taper, to make candleholders.• Many of these changes have centred on what are called tapers.• It meant three or four degrees of taper on most surfaces, cylindrical surfaces slightly conical.• The servants came scurrying with new brooms and pails; taper boys ran to replenish the wall-sconces.• Outside the cold wind snuffed the taper out.Origin taper2 Old English tapor, taper “thin candle” 