steel
Other forms: steeled; steels; steeling
Steel is a kind of metal alloy that's made of iron and carbon. It's known for being incredibly strong and is often used to build the framework of skyscrapers. It's also helpful to have "nerves of steel."
Steel isn't just a kind of metal. A steel can also be the long, rough thing you sharpen knives on. Or if you're one of the Three Musketeers, you probably carry a steel, or a sword. People who are really brave have nerves of steel. And if you want to use steel as a verb, go right ahead: if there's something hard or unpleasant ahead, you'll need to steel yourself to get ready for it.
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an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide rangetypes:alloy steelsteel who characteristics are determined by the addition of other elements in addition to carbonaustenitic steelsteel that has enough nickel and chromium or manganese to retain austenite at atmospheric temperaturescase-hardened steelsteel with a surface that is much harder than the interior metalcarbon steelsteel whose characteristics are determined by the amount of carbon it containscrucible steelsteel made by the mixture of molten wrought iron, charcoal, and other substances in a cruciblechisel steelsteel used in making chiselshard steelsteel with more than 0.3% carbonmedium steelsteel with 0.15-0.3% carbonquenched steelsteel that has been hardened by immersing it in water or oil to cool itstructural steela strong steel that is rolled into shapes that are used in constructionchromium steel, stainless, stainless steelsteel containing chromium that makes it resistant to corrosionElinvar, chrome-nickel steelElinvar is a trademark for a kind of steel used for watch springs because its elasticity is constant over a wide range of temperatureschrome-tungsten steela steel alloy made with chromium and tungsteneutectoid steela steel that contains 0.9% carbon (the eutectic point); a carbon steel with 0.9% carbon is pure pearlitehyper-eutectoid steela steel that contains more than 0.9% carbonhypo-eutectoid steela steel that contains less that 0.9% carbonaustenitic manganese steel, manganese steela steel with a relatively large component (10-14%) of manganese; highly resistant to wear and shockmolybdenum steelsteel containing 10-15% molybdenum; properties are similar to tungsten steelnickel steelan alloy steel containing nickeloil-hardened steelsteel that is quenched in oiltool steelalloy steel that is suitable for making tools; is hard and tough and can retain a cutting edgevanadium steelsteel alloyed with vanadium for greater strength and high-temperature stability
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relating to or made of a metal composed of iron and some carbon
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similar in color, hardness, or strength to a metal made of iron and carbon
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a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guardexamples:Excaliburthe legendary sword of King Arthurtypes:backsworda sword with only one cutting edgebroadsworda sword with a broad blade and (usually) two cutting edges; used to cut rather than stabfalchiona short broad slightly convex medieval sword with a sharp pointfencing sworda sword used in the sport of fencingclaymorea large double-edged broadsword; formerly used by Scottish Highlandersepeea fencing sword similar to a foil but with a heavier bladefoila light slender flexible sword tipped by a buttonscimitara curved saber used in Eastern countries; the edge is on the convex side of the bladetype of:
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knife sharpener consisting of a ridged steel rodtype of:sharpenerany implement that is used to make something (an edge or a point) sharper
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cover, plate, or edge with steeltype of:coverprovide with a covering or cause to be covered
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get ready for something difficult or unpleasant
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steal / steel
Vocabulary lists containing steel
Learn these terms and build a solid engineering vocabulary. This comprehensive list covers simple machines, electricity, force and momentum, building materials and structural elements, and much more. This list is sure to cement your understanding of engineering.
Steel yourself for this list of civil engineering terms, and learn all about the design and construction of public infrastructure such as bridges and dams. You'll review beams, joints, cables, and other structural elements, as well as hydraulics, resilience, tension, and much more. This list is dynamite!