ˈkændəl ˈʃɑɹpɨn diminish gradually Interest tapered off give a point to The candles are tapered stick of wax with a wick in the middle a loosely woven cord (in a candle or oil lamp) that draws fuel by capillary action up into the flame the property possessed by a shape that narrows toward a point (as a wedge or cone) a convex shape that narrows toward a point