distemper

I. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English distempren, from Late Latin distemperare to temper badly, from Latin dis- + temperare to temper Date: 14th century 1. to throw out of order 2. archaic derange, unsettle II. noun Date: 1546 1. bad humor or temper 2. a disordered or abnormal bodily state especially of quadruped mammals: as a. a highly contagious virus disease especially of dogs that is caused by a paramyxovirus (species Canine distemper virus of the genus Morbillivirus) and is marked by fever, leukopenia, and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms b. strangles c. panleukopenia 3. ailment, disorder <

vice and folly are situated not in human nature…but in distempers of intellect — George Stade

> • distemperate adjective III. noun Etymology: obsolete distemper, verb, to dilute, mix to produce distemper, from Middle English, from Anglo-French destemprer, from Latin dis- + temperare Date: 1632 1. a process of painting in which the pigments are mixed with an emulsion of egg yolk, with size, or with white of egg as a vehicle and which is used for painting scenery and murals 2. a. the paint or the prepared ground used in the distemper process b. a painting done in distemper 3. any of various water-based paints IV. transitive verb Date: circa 1873 to paint in or with distemper