steel

[ steel ]

/ stil /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR steel ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

a thing or things made of this metal.

a flat strip of this metal used for stiffening, especially in corsets; stay.

a bar of this metal that has one end formed to hold a bit for driving through rock.

steels, stocks or bonds of companies producing this metal.

a sword.

a rounded rod of ridged steel, fitted with a handle and used especially for sharpening knives.

adjective

pertaining to or made of steel.

like steel in color, hardness, or strength.

verb (used with object)

to fit with steel, as by pointing, edging, or overlaying.

to cause to resemble steel in some way.

to render insensible, inflexible, unyielding, determined, etc.: He steeled himself to perform the dangerous task.

Nearby words

stech, stechhelm, stedfast, steed, steek, steel, steel band, steel blue, steel drum, steel engraving, steel gray

Origin of steel

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

Related forms

steel·like, adjectivepre·steel, noun, adjective

Can be confused

steal steel stele

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for steel

As a major source for steel during World War II, Sheffield was a frequent target of bombing raids.
The Greatest Rock Voice of All Time Belonged to Joe Cocker|Ted Gioia|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We made big things like steel for ships and tractors and turbines for hydroelectric plants.
Christmas Is the New Subprime|Doug McIntyre|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now the lead breacher explained how he cut through the steel doors bin Laden used to seal himself into the compound at night.
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The rest is going to wherever that steel is getting outsourced.
The Pipeline From Hell: There’s No Good Reason to Build Keystone XL|Jack Holmes|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It took a special, meticulous kind of person to accomplish the undertaking, someone with brains, patience, and nerves of steel.
The High Society Bank Robber of the 1800s|J. North Conway|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The dirigible is now connected with the head of the mooring mast by a long length of steel wire rope.
Flying the Atlantic in Sixteen Hours|Arthur Whitten Brown
As long ago as 1774, Rinman observed that steel alloyed with manganese is non-magnetic.
Inventors at Work|George Iles
The tank is of wrought iron or steel with strengthening pieces of angle iron.
The Bacillus of Long Life|Loudon Douglas
All this happen'd while a man could count twenty; and in half a minute I heard the ring of steel and was standing in the doorway.
The Splendid Spur|Arthur T. Quiller Couch
The stars were blue as steel in the moonless sky above the arc-lamps; and a cold parching wind had sprung up.
Sinister Street, vol. 2|Compton Mackenzie

British Dictionary definitions for steel (1 of 2)

steel

/ (stiːl) /

noun

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
(as modifier)steel girders See also stainless steel

something that is made of steel

a steel stiffener in a corset, etc

a ridged steel rod with a handle used for sharpening knives

the quality of hardness, esp with regard to a person's character or attitudes

stock exchange the quotation for steel sharesSee also steels

(modifier) resembling steelsteel determination

verb (tr)

to fit, plate, edge, or point with steel

to make hard and unfeelinghe steeled his heart against her sorrow; he steeled himself for the blow

Derived Forms

steely, adjectivesteeliness, noun

Word Origin for steel

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

British Dictionary definitions for steel (2 of 2)

Steel

/ (stiːl) /

noun

Danielle, full name Danielle Fernande Schüelein-Steel. born 1950, US writer of romantic fiction

Baron David (Martin Scott). born 1938, British politician; leader of the Liberal Party (1976–88); Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament (1999–2003)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Science definitions for steel

steel

[ stēl ]

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.

Idioms and Phrases with steel

steel

In addition to the idiom beginning with steel

steel one's heart against

also see:

mind like a steel trap