Definition of: moderate

(mod′ər·it) adjective
1. Keeping or kept within reasonable limits; not extreme, excessive, or radical; also, mild; temperate; calm; reasonable; gentle.
2. Not strongly partisan: said of political and religious parties, and their tenets or views.
3. Medium; fair; also, mediocre.
4. Slow in thought, speech, or action.
5. Meteorol. Designating a breeze (No. 4) or a gale (No. 7) on the Beaufort scale. See synonyms under GRADUAL, MODEST, SLOW, SOBER.
—noun A person of moderate views, opinions, or practices; especially, a member of a political or religious party which is not strongly partisan.
—v. (mod′ə·rāt) ·at·ed, ·at·ing v.t.
1. To reduce the violence, severity, etc., of; make less extreme; restrain.
2. To preside over.
—v.i.
3. To become less intense or violent; abate.
4. To act as moderator. See synonyms under ABATE, ALLAY, ALLEVIATE, TEMPER, TRANQUILIZE. [<L moderatus, pp. of moderare regulate <modus measure]
—mod′er·ate·ly adverb
—mod′er·ate·ness noun
—mod′er·a′tion noun