Noah Webster
Taper
TA'PER, noun A small wax candle; a small lighted wax candle, or a small light.
Get me a taper in my study, Lucius.
TA'PER, adjective [supposed to be from the form of a taper ]
Regularly narrowed towards the point; becoming small towards one end; conical; pyramidical; as taper fingers.
TA'PER, verb intransitive To diminish or become gradually smaller towards one end; as, a sugar loaf tapers towards a point.
TA'PER, verb transitive To make gradually smaller in diameter.