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had steeled

  • past perfect
    of steel.
    steel
    noun
    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.

Example Sentences

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Paul Cao, executive chef-owner of Burnt Crumbs in Irvine, said he had steeled himself for a cost bump after he heard about the impending gas prices.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2023

While Reid had steeled Australia's hockey team for the pressure of being home favourites at Sydney 2000, England had crashed out in the pool stage as hosts of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2022

Richardson had steeled herself for the possibility she would be forced to watch the Olympics at which she could have become a gold medal winner and a global sensation.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 6, 2021

Seth Stevenson: I knew it was going to happen, so I had steeled myself for the eventuality.

From Slate ● May 20, 2016

When his father had first dropped the order about Pax, Peter had steeled himself and said, “No. I won’t do it.”

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker