Definitions for steel
stilsteel

Princeton's WordNet(3.57 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. steelnoun

   an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

2. sword, blade, brand, steelnoun

   a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

3. steelverb

   knife sharpener consisting of a ridged steel rod

4. steel, nerveverb

   get ready for something difficult or unpleasant

5. steelverb

   cover, plate, or edge with steel

Wiktionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. steelnoun

   A metal alloy of mostly iron plus carbon, harder than pure elemental iron but malleable when hot.

2. steelnoun

   A tool used to sharpen or hone knives; a .

3. steelnoun

   A sword.

4. steelnoun

   A type of slide used in the practice of steel guitar.

5. steelnoun

   Hardness; strength in adversity; mettle.

6. steelverb

   To harden.

   The harsh fall weather steeled them against the colder winter.

7. steelverb

   To cover with steel

8. steelverb

   To hone with a honing steel.

9. Etymology: stele, stel, from Old English (North) stele, (South) style, from stahlijan (cf. West Frisian stiel), enlargement of stahlan (cf. staal, Stahl, Danish stål) from stak- ‘to stay, be firm’ (cf. Umbrian stakaz ‘upright, erected’, Avestan ‘strong’, Sanskrit ‘resist, strike against’).

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Steelnoun

   1.Steel is a kind of iron, refined and purified by the fire with other ingredients, which renders it white, and its grain closer and finer than common iron. Steel, of all other metals, is that susceptible of the greatest degree of hardness, when well tempered; whence its great use in the making of tools and instruments of all kinds. Ephraim Chambers

   Etymology: stal , Saxon; stael, Dutch.

   Steel is made from the purest and softest iron, by keeping it red-hot, stratified with coal-dust and wood-ashes, or other substances that abound in the phlogiston, for several hours in a close furnace. It may also be made by fusion, and several other ways; but they are greatly in the wrong who prefer steel to iron for medicinal purposes. John Hill, Mat. Medica.

   At her back a bow and quiver gay,
   Stuff’d with steel-headed darts wherewith she quell’d
   The savage beasts in her victorious play. Fairy Queen.

   With mighty bars of long enduring brass
   The steel-bound doors and iron gates he ties. Edward Fairfax.

   A looking-glass, with the steel behind, looketh whiter than glass simple. Francis Bacon, Natural History.

   Diamonds, though hard bodies, will not ready strike fire with steel, much less with one another; nor a flint easily with a steel, if they both be wet; the sparks being then quenched in their eruption. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours.

   Both were of shining steel, and wrought so pure
   As might the strokes of two such arms endure. Dryden.

   2. It is often used metonymically for weapons or armour.

   Brave Macbeth with his brandish’d steel
   Which smok’d with bloody execution,
   Carv’d out his passage till he had fac’d the slave. William Shakespeare.

   A grove of oaks,
   Whose polish’d steel from far severely shines,
   Are not so dreadful as this beauteous queen. Dryden.

   He sudden as the word,
   In proud Plexippus’ bosom plunged the sword;
   Toxeus amaz’d, and with amazement slow,
   Stood doubting; and while doubting thus he stood,
   Receiv’d the steel bath’d in his brother’s blood. Dryden.

   3. Chalybeate medicines.

   After relaxing, steel strengthens the solids, and is likewise an antiacid. Arbuthnot.

   4. It is used proverbially for hardness: as heads of steel.

2. To Steelverb

   Etymology: from the noun.

   1. To point or edge with steel.

   Add proof unto mine armour with thy prayers,
   And with thy blessings steel my lance’s point. William Shakespeare, R. II.

   2. To make hard or firm. It is used, if it be applied to the mind, very often in a bad sense.

   Lies well steel’d with weighty arguments. William Shakespeare.

   So service shall with steeled fingers toil,
   And labour shall refresh itself with hope. William Shakespeare, H. V.

   From his metal was his party steel’d;
   Which once in him rebated, all the rest
   Turn’d on themselves, like dull and heavy lead. William Shakespeare.

   O God of battles! steel my soldiers hearts,
   Possess them not with fear. William Shakespeare, Henry V.

   Why will you fight against so sweet a passion,
   And steel your heart to such a world of charms? Addison.

   Man, foolish man!
   Scarce know’st thou how thyself began;
   Yet steel’d with study’d boldness, thou dar’st try
   To send thy doubted reason’s dazled eye
   Through the mysterious gulph of vast immensity. Matthew Prior.

   Let the steel’d Turk be deaf to matrons cries,
   See virgins ravish’d with relentless eyes. Thomas Tickell.

Webster Dictionary(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Steelnoun

   a variety of iron intermediate in composition and properties between wrought iron and cast iron (containing between one half of one per cent and one and a half per cent of carbon), and consisting of an alloy of iron with an iron carbide. Steel, unlike wrought iron, can be tempered, and retains magnetism. Its malleability decreases, and fusibility increases, with an increase in carbon

2. Steelnoun

   an instrument or implement made of steel

3. Steelnoun

   a weapon, as a sword, dagger, etc

4. Steelnoun

   an instrument of steel (usually a round rod) for sharpening knives

5. Steelnoun

   a piece of steel for striking sparks from flint

6. Steelnoun

   fig.: Anything of extreme hardness; that which is characterized by sternness or rigor

7. Steelnoun

   a chalybeate medicine

8. Steelnoun

   to overlay, point, or edge with steel; as, to steel a razor; to steel an ax

9. Steelnoun

   to make hard or strong; hence, to make insensible or obdurate

10. Steelnoun

    fig.: To cause to resemble steel, as in smoothness, polish, or other qualities

11. Steelnoun

    to cover, as an electrotype plate, with a thin layer of iron by electrolysis. The iron thus deposited is very hard, like steel

12. Etymology: [AS. stlan: cf. Icel. staela. See Steel, n.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Steel

   Steel is an alloy of iron and other elements, including carbon. When carbon is the primary alloying element, its content in the steel is between 0.002% and 2.1% by weight. The following elements are always present in steel: carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon, and traces of oxygen, nitrogen and aluminum. Alloying elements intentionally added to modify the characteristics of steel include: manganese, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, boron, titanium, vanadium and niobium. Carbon and other elements act as a hardening agent, preventing dislocations in the iron atom crystal lattice from sliding past one another. Varying the amount of alloying elements and the form of their presence in the steel controls qualities such as the hardness, ductility, and tensile strength of the resulting steel. Steel with increased carbon content can be made harder and stronger than iron, but such steel is also less ductile than iron. Alloys with a higher than 2.1% carbon are known as cast iron. Because they are not malleable even when hot, they can be worked only by casting, and they have lower melting point and good castability. Steel is also distinguishable from wrought iron, which can contain a small amount of carbon, but it is included in the form of slag inclusions.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Steel

   stēl, n. iron combined in varying proportions with carbon for making edged tools: any instrument or weapon of steel: an instrument of steel for sharpening knives on: a strip of steel for stiffening a corset: a piece of steel for striking fire from a flint: extreme hardness: a chalybeate medicine.—adj. made of steel: hard, unfeeling.—v.t. to overlay or edge with steel: to harden: to make obdurate.—adj. Steel′-clad, clad with steel-mail.—ns. Steel′-engraving, the art of engraving pictures on steel plates from which impressions may be taken, the impression or print so taken; Steel′iness, state of being steely, great hardness; Steel′ing, the welding of a steel edge on a cutting instrument; Steel′-pen, a pen-nib made of steel; Steel′-plate, a plate of steel: a plate of polished steel on which a design is engraved, the print taken from such.—adj. Steel′-plāt′ed, plated with steel.—n.pl. Steel′-toys, small articles of steel as buttons, buckles, &c.—n. Steel′-ware, articles made of steel collectively.—adj. Steel′y, made of steel: steel-like. [A.S. stýle; Ger. stahl.]

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Steel

   A tough, malleable, iron-based alloy containing up to, but no more than, two percent carbon and often other metals. It is used in medicine and dentistry in implants and instrumentation.

The Standard Electrical Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Steel

   A compound of iron with carbon. The carbon may range from a few hundredths of one per cent. up to two per cent. For magnets, tool steel drawn to a straw color or a little lower is good. All shaping and filing should be done before magnetization.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. steel

   See Ordnance, Metals for.

Rap Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. steelnoun

   Pistol. Finger on the trigger with my hand upon the steel -- Cypress Hill (Hand on the pump), I got a raw deal, so I'm goin' for the steel -- Public Enemy (Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos)

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. steel

   A type of alloy.

   Steel is used across the world for a variety of purposes.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on January 31, 2020  

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. steel

   Song lyrics by steel -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by steel on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Alloy
   • Brace
   • Cover
   • Weapon

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'steel' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2774

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'steel' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2878

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'steel' in Nouns Frequency: #1172

Anagrams for steel »

1. sleet

2. stele

3. teles

4. leets

5. slete

How to pronounce steel?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say steel in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of steel in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of steel in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of steel in a Sentence

1. The Brotherhood:

   The group calls on the masses of the proud people of Egypt to steel their resolve and stand firm on the path of democratic legitimacy, dignity and respect for popular will.

2. President Trump:

   I cant imagine that someone would want to be in a position of authority in our election system and in our democracy just to subvert it, i think these are public spirited people.I think these are patriots and they are doing their job to the best of their ability to make sure we get accurate, transparent results. When asked if a poll worker could use a USB thumb drive to add votes for a candidate, Steel said that the vote tabulators donot havesuch access. He also said they are not connected to the internet.

3. Otto Friedrichsen:

   By taking part in the consolidation, you effectively buy a pile of steel, but customers are not loyal in this business. So the big risk is that you are left with extra shipping capacity, while price-sensitive customers slip away, i don't think acquisitions is the way to go.

4. Business Secretary Sajid Javid:

   By changing the procurement rules on these major infrastructure projects we are backing the future of UK steel - opening up significant opportunities for UK suppliers and allowing them to compete more effectively with international companies.

5. Takashi Enomoto:

   The steel sector has been heavily impacted by China's slowdown because more than 50 percent of the demand is there, but Japanese steel companies will be hurt a little less than others by the shrinking demand because of the domestic demand from automotive players.

Popularity rank by frequency of use