The spelling of the word "tapering" might be confusing for some. In International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), this word is transcribed as /ˈteɪ.pər.ɪŋ/. The "t" at the beginning is followed by "a" pronounced as /eɪ/. The letter "p" after "t" is pronounced as /p/. Then comes the "e" letter pronounced as /ə/. The "r" sound in "tapering" is represented by the symbol /ɹ/. In the end, there is the suffix "-ing" pronounced as /ɪŋ/. Overall, "tapering" is spelled as /ˈteɪ.pər.ɪŋ/ in IPA.
Tapering is a term that generally refers to the gradual reduction or decrease in size, amount, quantity, intensity, or strength of something over time. It is commonly used to describe the process of gradually diminishing or narrowing certain properties in various contexts.
In sports and fitness, tapering specifically refers to the strategic reduction of exercise intensity and volume before a competition or event to optimize performance and allow the body to recover from strenuous training. It involves gradually decreasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of training sessions to ensure athletes are at peak condition for the event.
In the context of economics and monetary policy, tapering is the deliberate and controlled reduction in the amount of monetary stimulus provided by central banks. This reduction usually occurs by decreasing the regular purchases of financial assets such as government bonds. Tapering is implemented as a measure to stabilize or normalize an economy after a period of quantitative easing.
Tapering can also refer to a specific shape found in various objects. For instance, in carpentry, it refers to gradually reducing the width, thickness, or diameter of a piece of material to create a taper or cone-like shape. In terms of hairstyles, tapering refers to gradually decreasing the length of hair from top to bottom, resulting in a smooth transition and blending of different hair lengths.
Overall, tapering encompasses a gradual reduction or narrowing process that can be observed in diverse fields, varying from sports training strategies to monetary policies and carpentry techniques.
Gradually terminating in a point.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "tapering" comes from the verb "taper", which originated from the Old English word "tæppian". This Old English word meant "to make or become gradually narrower" or "to cause to diminish gradually". It can be traced back further to the Proto-Germanic word "tapjaną", which means "to plug" or "to patch". The notion of gradually narrowing something resembles the concept of putting a plug or patch in it, hence the connection between the Old English term and its Proto-Germanic root. Over time, the verb "taper" evolved into the present participle "tapering", which describes the act of gradually becoming narrower or thinner.