steel
pronunciation
How to pronounce steel in British English:
UK [stiːl]
How to pronounce steel in American English:
US [stiːl]
-
- Noun:
- an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
- a cutting or thrusting weapon with a long blade
- knife sharpener consisting of a ridged steel rod
-
- Verb:
- get ready for something difficult or unpleasant
- cover, plate, or edge with steel
Word Origin
- steel
- steel: [OE] Steel is etymologically a ‘firm’ substance. The word goes back to a prehistoric West Germanic *stakhlam, which was derived from the Germanic base *stakh-, *stagh- ‘be firm’ (source also of English stay ‘rope, support’). It has Germanic relatives in German stahl and Dutch staal.=> stay
- steel (n.)
- modified form of iron with a small portion of carbon, not found in nature but known in ancient times, Old English style "steel," from noun use of Proto-Germanic adjective *stakhlijan "made of steel" (cognates: Old Saxon stehli, Old Norse, Middle Low German stal, Danish staal, Swedish stål, Middle Dutch stael, Dutch staal, Old High German stahal, German Stahl), related to *stakhla "standing fast," from PIE *stek-lo-, from root *stak- "to stand, place, be firm" (see stay (n.1)). The notion is perhaps "that which stands firm." No corresponding word exists outside Germanic except those likely borrowed from Germanic languages. As an adjective from c. 1200 (Old English used stylen "*steel-en." Steel wool is attested from 1896. Steel drum is from 1952.
- steel (v.)
- "make hard or strong like steel," 1580s, earliest use is figurative, from steel (n.). Old English lacked the verb but had styled "made of steel." Related: Steeled; steeling.
Example
- 1. China has more than 1200 steel mills .
- 2. No other steel mill chief repeated this claim .
- 3. These acts shatter steel , but they cannot dent the steel of american resolve .
- 4. No , it was the determination born in times of hardship that put steel in their soul .
- 5. For the most part , china has stepped back from exporting raw steel , in favor of higher-value finished goods .