steel

steel
n., adj., & v.
—n.
1 any of various alloys of iron and carbon with other elements increasing strength and malleability, much used for making tools, weapons, etc., and capable of being tempered to many different degrees of hardness.
2 hardness of character; strength, firmness (nerves of steel).
3 a a rod of steel, usu. roughened and tapering, on which knives are sharpened. b a strip of steel for expanding a skirt or stiffening a corset.
4 (not in pl.) literary a sword, lance, etc. (foemen worthy of their steel).
—adj.
1 made of steel.
2 like or having the characteristics of steel.
—v.tr. & refl. harden or make resolute (steeled myself for a shock).
Phrases and idioms:
cold steel cutting or thrusting weapons. pressed steel steel moulded under pressure. steel band a group of usu. W. Indian musicians with percussion instruments made from oil drums. steel-clad wearing armour. steel engraving the process of engraving on or an impression taken from a steel-coated copper plate. steel wool an abrasive substance consisting of a mass of fine steel shavings.
Etymology: OE style, steli f. Gmc, rel. to STAY(2)

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • Steel — (st[=e]l), n. [AS. st[=e]l, st[=y]l, st[=y]le; akin to D. staal, G. stahl, OHG. stahal, Icel. st[=a]l, Dan. staal, Sw. st[*a]l, Old Prussian stakla.] 1. (Metal) A variety of iron intermediate in composition and properties between wrought iron and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Steel — (engl. Stahl) steht für: den englischen Originaltitel des Films Steel Man Steel (Comicserie), amerikanische Comicserie Steel, ein Genort, dessen Mutationen Leuzismus hervorrufen. den italienischen Fernsehsender gleichen Namens, siehe Steel… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • steel — UK US /stiːl/ noun [U] PRODUCTION ► a strong metal that is a mixture of iron and carbon, used for making things that need a strong structure, especially vehicles and buildings: »They have an annual production of about two million tons of steel.… …   Financial and business terms

  • STEEL —    Steel, an alloy of iron and trace amounts of carbon, is a stronger material than cast iron. Known since antiquity, steel began to be produced with some degree of efficiency only in the mid 19th century, with a new industrial procedure called… …   Historical Dictionary of Architecture

  • Steel — (st[=e]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Steeled} (st[=e]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Steeling}.] [AS. st[=y]lan: cf. Icel. st[ae]la. See {Steel}, n.] 1. To overlay, point, or edge with steel; as, to steel a razor; to steel an ax. [1913 Webster] 2. Fig.: To make …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • steel — [stēl] n. [ME stel < OE stiele, stæli, akin to Ger stahl < IE * stak , to stand: see STAY1] 1. a hard, tough metal composed of iron alloyed with various small percentages of carbon and often variously with other metals, as nickel, chromium …   English World dictionary

  • steel|y — «STEE lee», adjective, steel|i|er, steel|i|est. 1. made of steel. 2. like steel in color, strength, or hardness …   Useful english dictionary

  • steel — O.E. style, from West Germanic adjective *stakhlijan made of steel (Cf. O.S. stehli, O.N., M.L.G. stal, Dan. staal, Swed. stôl, M.Du. stael, Du. staal, O.H.G. stahal, Ger. Stahl), related to *stakhla standing fast, from PIE …   Etymology dictionary

  • steel — ► NOUN 1) a hard, strong grey or bluish grey alloy of iron with carbon and usually other elements, used as a structural material and in manufacturing. 2) a rod of roughened steel on which knives are sharpened. 3) strength and determination:… …   English terms dictionary

  • Steel —   [stiːl], Sir (seit 1977) David Martin Scott, britisch Politiker, * Kirkcaldy 31. 3. 1938; Jurist, arbeitete ab 1964 als Fernsehreporter; 1962 64 stellvertretender Parteisekretär der schottischen Liberalen, seit 1965 Abgeordnete im Unterhaus,… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • steel|ie — «STEE lee», noun. 1. a steel marble: »McGurk took all his marbles, including a good steelie (Harper s). 2. = steelhead. (Cf. ↑steelhead) …   Useful english dictionary

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