high-speed steel

noun

1. an especially hard, heat-resistant steel for use in lathe tools and for other applications involving high friction and wear.

high-speed steel

noun

1. any of various steels that retain their hardness at high temperatures and are thus suitable for making tools used on lathes and other high-speed machines

Word History and Origins

Origin of high-speed steel¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Most of the grains that are used in foods like breakfast cereals, corn chips and crackers are milled by high-speed steel rollers.

From New York Times

The ship, called the Freedom, is 378 feet long and has a high-speed steel hull that allows it to travel about 50 mph.

From Washington Post

Molybdenum high-speed steel is more expensive than tungsten high-speed steel, but is said to wear better.

From Project Gutenberg

The cutter a is a piece of high-speed steel beveled on the cutting end to produce a keen edge.

From Project Gutenberg

For annealing high-speed steel, some makers recommend using ground mica, charcoal, lime, fine dry ashes or lake sand as a packing in the annealing boxes.

From Project Gutenberg