Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - moderate

 I. adjective  Etymology: Middle English, from Latin moderatus, from past participle of moderare to ~; akin to Latin modus measure  Date: 15th century  1.  a. avoiding extremes of behavior or expression ; observing reasonable limits a ~ drinker  b. calm, temperate  2.  a. tending toward the mean or average amount or dimension  b. having average or less than average quality ; mediocre  3. professing or characterized by political or social beliefs that are not extreme  4. limited in scope or effect  5. not expensive ; reasonable or low in price  6. of a color of medium lightness and medium chroma  • ~ly adverb  • ~ness noun  II. verb  (-ated; -ating)  Date: 15th century  transitive verb  1. to lessen the intensity or extremeness of the sun ~d the chill  2. to preside over or act as chairman of  intransitive verb  1. to act as a moderator  2. to become less violent, severe, or intense the wind began to ~  • moderation noun  III. noun  Date: 1794 one who holds ~ views or who belongs to a group favoring a ~ course or program