mettle

American  

[met-l] / ˈmɛt l /

noun

1. courage and fortitude.

   a man of mettle.

   Synonyms:

   fiber, nerve, ardor, vigor, pluck, valor

2. disposition or temperament.

   a man of fine mettle.

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idioms

1. on one's mettle, in the position of being incited to do one's best.

   The loss of the first round put him on his mettle to win the match.

mettle British  

/ ˈmɛtəl /

noun

1. courage; spirit

2. inherent character

3. roused to putting forth one's best efforts

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Etymology

Origin of mettle

1575–85; spelling variant of metal, in metaphoric usages

Example Sentences

He had to show the mettle to come through a vicious blow to the head off Cameron Green when on 27.

From BBC

Under the direction of a game master, players confront a series of scenarios testing their managerial mettle.

From The Wall Street Journal

Members no longer need to hold the floor and talk nonstop, testing not just the power of their argument but their physical mettle and bladder control.

From Los Angeles Times

But the real test of someone’s mettle isn’t how ripped they are but whether they can handle the complexities of a world that hasn’t been sculpted to shield their egos.

From Salon

He pioneered a style whereby callers had to be on their mettle because he was known to treat them in the same way he would treat a politician.

From BBC

Related Words

• bravery
• caliber
• courage
• fortitude
• grit
• spunk
• stamina
• temperament