The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word TEMPERED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
T
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More clues leading to the result TEMPERED
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Strengthened/moderated" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case strengthened/moderated = tempered.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TEMPERED mean?
TEMPERED adjective- (in combination) Having a specified disposition or temper.
- Pertaining to the metallurgical process for finishing metals.
- Pertaining to the industrial process for toughening glass, or to such toughened glass.
- Moderated or balanced by other considerations.
- Pertaining to the well-tempered scale, where the twelve notes per octave of the standard keyboard are tuned in such a way that it is possible to play music in any major or minor key and it will not sound perceptibly out of tune.
- To moderate or control.
- To strengthen or toughen a material, especially metal, by heat treatment; anneal.
- To sauté spices in ghee or oil to release essential oils for flavouring a dish in South Asian cuisine.
- To mix clay, plaster or mortar with water to obtain the proper consistency.
- To adjust, as the mathematical scale to the actual scale, or to that in actual use.
- (Latinism) To govern; to manage.
- To combine in due proportions; to constitute; to compose.
- To mingle in due proportion; to prepare by combining; to modify, as by adding some new element; to qualify, as by an ingredient; hence, to soften; to mollify; to assuage.
- To fit together; to adjust; to accommodate.