Definition of 'steel'

Word Frequency

steel

(stiːl )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense steels , present participle steeling , past tense, past participle steeled

1. variable noun [oft NOUN noun]

Steel is a very strong metal which is made mainly from iron. Steel is used for making many things, for example bridges, buildings, vehicles, and cutlery.

...steel pipes.

...the iron and steel industry.

...a fall in demand for cement, bricks, steel and glass.

The front wall is made of corrugated steel.

2. See also stainless steel

3. uncountable noun [oft NOUN noun]

Steel is used to refer to the industry that produces steel and items made of steel.

...a three-month study of European steel.

The company has interests in steel and other products.

4. verb

If you steel yourself, you prepare to deal with something unpleasant.

Those involved are steeling themselves for the coming battle. [V pron-refl + for/against]

I was steeling myself to call round when Simon arrived. [VERB pronoun-reflexive to-infinitive]

Video: pronunciation of
steel

steel in British English

(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

Steel in British English

(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)

Word Frequency

steel in American English

(stil )

noun

a hard, tough metal composed of iron alloyed with various small percentages of carbon and often variously with other metals, as nickel, chromium, manganese, etc., to produce hardness, resistance to rusting, etc.

something made of steel

; specif.,

a. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic

a sword or dagger

a piece of steel used with flint for making sparks

a steel strip used for stiffening

a roughened steel rod on which to sharpen knives

great strength, hardness, or toughness

4. [often pl.]

shares of stock in steel-making companies

5. Informal

steel guitar

adjective

of or like steel

verb transitive

to cover or edge with steel

to make hard, tough, unfeeling, etc.

Word origin

ME stel < OE stiele, stæli, akin to Ger stahl < IE *stak-, to stand: see stay3

Word Frequency

steel in Automotive Engineering

(stil)

noun

(Automotive engineering: Materials)

Steel is a very strong metal which is made mainly from iron. Steel is used for making vehicles.

Sheet steel is pressed into the shapes of the various panels of the car and welded together.

The vehicle is very well-built with thick steel panels and neat join lines between floorpan and body.

Mechanics stripped the engine bay, sills, and wheel arches right back to bare metal just to make sure that the steel underneath was in good condition.

Word Frequency

steel in Mechanical Engineering

(stil)

noun

(Mechanical engineering: Materials)

Steel is any iron-based alloy containing less than 1.5 percent carbon.

Steel, an alloy consisting mostly of iron and a small amount of carbon, is one of the most common materials in the world.

Any steel containing thirteen or more percent chromium is classified as stainless.

Steel is any iron-based alloy containing less than 1.5 percent carbon.

carbon steel, stainless steel

Example sentences including
steel

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

He stepped over to it and grasped the steel handle.These meals are prepared in stainless steel or glass containers.The hut has a steel frame and shutters that open outwards and upwards to provide shade.This pleasing effect softens the hard steel lines and shields the precipitous drop to the road below.The deals made him a leading force in the iron and steel industry.Off we went through shabby lanes of light industrial shops in cold concrete with steel shutters.She nods at the stainless steel bin by the coffee counter.The opportunity for our generation to have something more than a steel mill job means something.There are so many towns where we used to make cars or steel.The drive and lawns are framed with steel edging.

Word lists with
steel

alloy, alloys, metal

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

Score: 0 / 5

Which metal alloy am I?

an alloy of zirconium containing small amounts of tin, chromium, and nickel. It is used in pressurized-water reactors

brass Nichrome™ zircalloy

Which metal alloy am I?

an alloy of aluminium, nickel, cobalt, iron, and copper, used to make permanent magnets

Alnico™ brass constantan

Which metal alloy am I?

any of various alloys containing iron and nickel (45–80 per cent) and sometimes smaller amounts of chromium and molybdenum

brass permalloy pewter

Which metal alloy am I?

an alloy of mercury with another metal, esp with silver

amalgam billon brazing solder

Which metal alloy am I?

an alloy containing iron (63.8 per cent), nickel (36 per cent), and carbon (0.2 per cent). It has a very low coefficient of expansion and is used for the balance springs of watches, etc

brass Invar™ steel

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