steel

[ steel ]

noun

1. any of various modified forms of iron, artificially produced, having a carbon content less than that of pig iron and more than that of wrought iron, and having qualities of hardness, elasticity, and strength varying according to composition and heat treatment: generally categorized as having a high, medium, or low-carbon content.
2. a thing or things made of this metal.
3. a flat strip of this metal used for stiffening, especially in corsets; stay.
4. a bar of this metal that has one end formed to hold a bit for driving through rock.
5. steels, stocks or bonds of companies producing this metal.
6. a sword.
7. a rounded rod of ridged steel, fitted with a handle and used especially for sharpening knives.

adjective

1. pertaining to or made of steel.
2. like steel in color, hardness, or strength.

verb (used with object)

1. to fit with steel, as by pointing, edging, or overlaying.
2. to cause to resemble steel in some way.
3. to render insensible, inflexible, unyielding, determined, etc.:

   He steeled himself to perform the dangerous task.

Steel

¹

/ stiːl /

noun

1. SteelDanielle1950MUSWRITING: romantic novelist Danielle, full name Danielle Fernande Schüelein-Steel. born 1950, US writer of romantic fiction
2. SteelDavid (Martin Scott), Baron1938MBritishPOLITICS: politician Baron David ( Martin Scott ). born 1938, British politician; leader of the Liberal Party (1976–88); Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament (1999–2003)

steel

²

/ stiːl /

noun

1. 1. any of various alloys based on iron containing carbon (usually 0.1–1.7 per cent) and often small quantities of other elements such as phosphorus, sulphur, manganese, chromium, and nickel. Steels exhibit a variety of properties, such as strength, machinability, malleability, etc, depending on their composition and the way they have been treated
   2. ( as modifier ) See also stainless steel

      steel girders

2. something that is made of steel
3. a steel stiffener in a corset, etc
4. a ridged steel rod with a handle used for sharpening knives
5. the quality of hardness, esp with regard to a person's character or attitudes
6. stock exchange the quotation for steel shares See also steels
7. modifier resembling steel

   steel determination

verb

1. to fit, plate, edge, or point with steel
2. to make hard and unfeeling

   he steeled himself for the blow

   he steeled his heart against her sorrow

steel

/ stēl /

1. Any of various hard, strong, flexible alloys of iron and carbon. Often, other metals are added to give steel a particular property, such as chromium and nickel to make it stainless. Steel is widely used in many kinds of tools and as a structural material in building.

Derived Forms

• ˈsteeliness, noun
• ˈsteely, adjective

Other Words From

• steellike adjective
• pre·steel noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of steel¹

before 900; (noun) Middle English stele, Old English (north) stēle; cognate with Dutch staal, German Stahl, Old Norse stāl; (v.) Middle English stelen, Old English styled edged with steel, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of steel¹

Old English stēli; related to Old High German stehli, Middle Dutch stael

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with steel , also see mind like a steel trap .

Example Sentences

Penske was on the board of the short-lived Ontario Motor Speedway in the 1970s, then built the California Speedway on the site of the Kaiser Steel mill in 1994.

From Los Angeles Times

In August, he unveiled a bizarre statue of Chan, apparently made of oxidised green copper and steel, by artist Daniel Arsham.

From BBC

In Orange County’s 45th Congressional District, where the contentious battle between GOP Rep. Michelle Steel and Democratic challenger Derek Tran may come down to a few thousand votes, volunteers are gearing up to work nearly 40 hours to cure ballots until the Dec. 1 deadline.

From Los Angeles Times

Rep. Michelle Steel, Derek Tran and State Sen. Dave Min are all counting on the key Asian voting bloc—congressional district 45 and 47 are roughly 30% Asian—to win in November.

From Los Angeles Times

The steel and glass "internal street" was praised by the architectural world, winning both the Stirling Prize and then a Civic Trust award in 1998.

From BBC

Related Words

• brace
• fortify
• gird