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steel definition

steel (stēl)

noun

  1. a hard, tough metal composed of iron alloyed with various small percentages of carbon and often variously with other metals, as nickel, chromium, manganese, etc., to produce hardness, resistance to rusting, etc.
  2. something made of steel; specif.,
    1. Old Poet. a sword or dagger
    2. a piece of steel used with flint for making sparks
    3. a steel strip used for stiffening
    4. a roughened steel rod on which to sharpen knives
  3. great strength, hardness, or toughness
  4. shares of stock in steel-making companies
  5. Informal steel guitar

Etymology: ME stel < OE stiele, stæli, akin to Ger stahl < IE *stak-, to stand: see stay

adjective

of or like steel

transitive verb

  1. to cover or edge with steel
  2. to make hard, tough, unfeeling, etc.

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms steel idiom

steel Synonyms

steel

n.

  1. A hard metal

    iron alloy, iron, stainless steel, tempered steel. see also alloy, metal.

    Forms and varieties of steel include: ingot, bar, slab, billet, rod, girder, beam, I-beam, scrap, hot rolled sheet, cold rolled sheet, plate, skelp, angle, channel, round, flat, square, joist bar, Z-bar, reinforcing, steel wool, steel filings, wire rod;

  2. A knife sharpener

    sharpening rod, whetstone, oilstone.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

steel Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • galvanize: Manufactured from high quality hot dipped galvanized steel they are coated with polymer.

Adjective modifier

  • stainless: The case is brushed stainless steel, with a polished bezel.

Modifies a noun

  • sink: Built in kitchen units, wall units, stainless steel sink, hob, double oven, dishwasher, fridge, cooker hood extraction.

Noun used with modifier

  • alloy: Measurement of the plane strain fracture toughness of an alloy steel.
steel usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

steel quotes

There is a kind of strength that is almost frightening in black women. It's as if a steel rod runs right through the head down to the feet.

-Angelou, Maya originally MayaJohnson

Give them the cold steel, boys!

-Armistead, Lewis Addison

   Steel prices cause inflation like wet sidewalks cause rain.

-Blough, Roger M(iles)

steel quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"steel." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/steel>

APA Style

steel. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/steel

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