taper off

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To diminish or lessen gradually

   To diminish or lessen gradually; to become or make smaller, slower, quieter, etc.

   • Months after they printed the article, the number of angry letters finally started to taper off.
   • The traffic tapers off towards mid-May, but it continues in some measure throughout the off-peak months.
   • To fill this gap, over the last 25 years, patients have developed a robust Internet-based subculture of volunteer peer support for tapering off psychiatric drugs and recovering from withdrawal syndrome.
2. 2

   Used other than figuratively or idiomatically

   Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see taper, off.

   • The glass tapers off at the top.

The neighborhood