taper off 1. (使)一头逐渐变得尖细 taper off a stick a bit 把棒的一头削得尖细一些 2. (使)逐渐减少(或减弱)；逐步停止 The population growth is tapering off. 人口增长在逐渐减慢。 By now the economic boom has tapered off. 经济繁荣的势头业已减弱。 He has tapered off to five cigarettes a day. 他已减少到一天抽5支烟了。 taper off unemployment 使失业人数逐渐减少