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Steel   /stil/   Listen
noun
Steel  n.  
1.
(Metal) 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.
An instrument or implement made of steel; as:
(a)
A weapon, as a sword, dagger, etc. "Brave Macbeth... with his brandished steel." "While doubting thus he stood, Received the steel bathed in his brother's blood."
(b)
An instrument of steel (usually a round rod) for sharpening knives.
(c)
A piece of steel for striking sparks from flint.
3.
Fig.: Anything of extreme hardness; that which is characterized by sternness or rigor. "Heads of steel." "Manhood's heart of steel."
4.
(Med.) A chalybeate medicine. Note: Steel is often used in the formation of compounds, generally of obvious meaning; as, steel-clad, steel-girt, steel-hearted, steel-plated, steel-pointed, etc.
Bessemer steel (Metal.) See in the Vocabulary.
Blister steel. (Metal.) See under Blister.
Cast steel (Metal.), a fine variety of steel, originally made by smelting blister or cementation steel; hence, ordinarily, steel of any process of production when remelted and cast.
Chrome steel, Chromium steel (Metal.), a hard, tenacious variety containing a little chromium, and somewhat resembling tungsten steel.
Mild steel (Metal.), a kind of steel having a lower proportion of carbon than ordinary steel, rendering it softer and more malleable.
Puddled steel (Metal.), a variety of steel produced from cast iron by the puddling process.
Steel duck (Zool.), the goosander, or merganser. (Prov. Eng.)
Steel mill.
(a)
(Firearms) See Wheel lock, under Wheel.
(b)
A mill which has steel grinding surfaces.
(c)
A mill where steel is manufactured.
Steel trap, a trap for catching wild animals. It consists of two iron jaws, which close by means of a powerful steel spring when the animal disturbs the catch, or tongue, by which they are kept open.
Steel wine, wine, usually sherry, in which steel filings have been placed for a considerable time, used as a medicine.
Tincture of steel (Med.), an alcoholic solution of the chloride of iron.
Tungsten steel (Metal.), a variety of steel containing a small amount of tungsten, and noted for its tenacity and hardness, as well as for its malleability and tempering qualities. It is also noted for its magnetic properties.


verb
Steel  v. t.  (past & past part. steeled; pres. part. steeling)  
1.
To overlay, point, or edge with steel; as, to steel a razor; to steel an ax.
2.
Fig.: To make hard or strong; hence, to make insensible or obdurate. "Lies well steeled with weighty arguments." "O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts." "Why will you fight against so sweet a passion, And steel your heart to such a world of charms?"
3.
Fig.: To cause to resemble steel, as in smoothness, polish, or other qualities. "These waters, steeled By breezeless air to smoothest polish."
4.
(Elec.) To cover, as an electrotype plate, with a thin layer of iron by electrolysis. The iron thus deposited is very hard, like steel.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Steel" Quotes from Famous Books



... waited; it was an every-night occurrence for him. The starlight could not penetrate to the Boulevard through the harsh electric glare; and the whirring of wheels and laughter of the cafe's guests entered the soul of Ambroise like steel nails. She opened ...
— Visionaries • James Huneker
... moved half by the hysteria of fright and half by the pain of a fresh laceration of his bruised toe. The boy's face was black with coal-dust and wheat chaff, and tears were striping his features grotesquely. The palsy of terror loosened its steel bands from the father's limbs, and he ran to the wheat-wagon. Jimmy Sears, for all he or his father know, may have floated to the ground from the wagon bed. But a moment later, in a frenzy wherein anger furnished only a sub-conscious motor, and joy pumped wildly at the expanding ...
— The Court of Boyville • William Allen White
... said, putting his hand in his pocket and taking out a flat steel tobacco-box which opened with a spring. "I had to go up to town more than a week ago to an inspection and about my pension, and while I was up I thought I'd go and see my sisters, and then I thought I'd go and see about those—you ...
— Burr Junior • G. Manville Fenn
... suppose that these ends are kept in view up till the moment of death, and that then down comes the guillotine and cuts off all. God does not take the rough ore out of the mine, and deal with it, and change it to polished steel, and shape His weapons, and then take them when they are at their highest temper and their sharpest edge, and break them across His knee. No! if here we are shaped, it is because yonder there ...
— Expositions Of Holy Scripture - Volume I: St. Luke, Chaps. I to XII • Alexander Maclaren
... a small man with a wide smile, and an eye that seems to be fixed upon that little red spot on the end of your nose. I never saw him wear but one kind of necktie, and he believes in cuff-holders and button-shoes. He is as hard and true as anything ever turned out by the Cambria Steel Works; and he believes that as soon as Pittsburgh makes smoke-consumers compulsory, St. Peter will come down and sit at the foot of Smithfield Street, and let somebody else attend to the gate up in the branch heaven. He believes that "our" plate-glass ...
— Options • O. Henry


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