steel

Etymology

From Middle English stele, stel, from Old English stīele, from Proto-West Germanic *stahlī (“something made of steel”), enlargement of *stahl (“steel”), from Proto-Germanic *stahlą, from *stah- or *stag- (“to be firm, rigid”), from Proto-Indo-European *stak- (“to stay, to be firm”) (compare Umbrian stakaz (“upright, erected”), Avestan 𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬑𐬭𐬀 (staxra, “strong”), Sanskrit स्तकति (stakati, “resist, strike against”)), related to Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”).

noun

1. An artificial metal produced from iron, harder and more elastic than elemental iron; used figuratively as a symbol of hardness.
   Ocearium stæli. c. 725, Corpus Gloss., published 1431
   Accearium steeli. c. 825, Epinal Gloss., section 49
   Þe alle þine leomen wule to-draȝen. þeh þu weore stel al. c. 1275, Laȝamon, Brut, 12916
   Employeng the steell of his swerd the most best wyse that in hym was possible. c. 1473, Raoul Le Fèvre, translated by William Caxton, The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, section I
   Weman...with wordis cane rycht wele our-cum mene hard as stele. c. 1480, St. Mary Magdalen, 408 in 1896, W. M. Metcalfe, Legends Saints Sc. Dial., I 267
   The purest part thereof [of iron ore] which in Latine is called Nucleus ferri, i. the kernell or heart of the yron (and it is that which we call steele) 1601, P. Holland translating Pliny, Hist. World, II xxxiv xiv 514
   (The Hebrew word is נחשת meaning copper. "Bow of steele" occurs in three places translating קשת נחושה.)
   Steel may be roughly defined as an alloy of iron and carbon containing up to 1.7% carbon, all of the carbon being in the combined condition. A second definition, distinguishing it from cast or wrought iron, is that it has been produced in the molten condition, and a third states that steel can be hardened by quenching from a suitably high temperature. There are...certain exceptions to all these definitions. 1946, Thorpe's Dictionary of Applied Chemistry, 4th edition, VII 47 1
   For the iron to be made into steel (defined as iron with a carefully controlled carbon content of 1.7 percent or less) the sulfur, the silicon, and the excess carbon must be removed. 1976 Jul, Scientific American, 68 2
2. (countable) Any item made of this metal, particularly including:
   1. Bladed or pointed weapons, as swords, javelins, daggers.
      For heom ne may halter ne bridel Bringe from here wode wyse, Ne mon mid stele ne mid ire. c. 1250, The Owl & the Nightengale, published 1030
      But who wou'd dream that out of abundant Charity and Brotherly Love shou'd come Steel, Fire, Gibbets, Rods. 1712, Lord Shaftesbury, Characteristicks, III 115
      They have asked for the steel. They shall have it now; Out cutlasses and board! 1892, Rudyard Kipling, Barrack-room Ballads, section 139
      While one man was beating off the swords, the waters stole up silently and took him. Contrariwise, another was struggling with the waves, when the steel came up and encompassed him. The flowing waters were befouled with the gory spray. Thus the Ruthenians were conquered... 1905, Saxo Grammaticus, translated by Oliver Elton, The Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus, section II
3. A piece used for striking sparks from flint.
   Of ston mid stel in ðe tunder wel to brennen one ðis wunder. c. 1220, Bestiary, section 535
   The Cock falling with its wonted violence upon the Steel. 1660, Robert Boyle, New Experiments Physico-mechanicall, XIV 89
4. Armor.
   Þai gun hem boþe armi In iren and stiel þat tide. c. 1330, Sir Tristrem, L 3324
5. A honing steel, a tool used to sharpen or hone metal blades.
   The steill to scherp the schawing jrne. 1541 in 1844, J. Stuart, Extracts of the Council Register of Aberdeen, I 176
6. (sewing) Pieces used to strengthen, support, or expand an item of clothing.
   I haue a ruffe is a quarter deep, measured by the yeard... You haue a pretty set too, how big is the steele you set with? 1608, G. Markham et al., Dumbe Knight, section I
   I suppose the bullet must have struck the steels in my corsets. Feb 22 1904, Daily Chron, 5 4
7. (dialectal) A flat iron.
   One of them having occasion to use a Steele, smoothing Iron, or some such kinde of Laundry Instrument. 1638, J. Taylor, Bull, Beare, & Horse, C5
8. (sewing">sewing, dialectal) A sewing">sewing needle; a knitting needle; a sharp metal stylus.
   The threaded steel...Flies swiftly. 1785, William Cowper, Task, IV 165
9. (printing) An engraving plate:
   1843, J. Ballantine, The gaberlunzie's wallet. With numerous illustrations on steel and wood.:
   A re-issue of the Examples of the Architecture of Venice. By John Ruskin... With the Text, and the 16 Plates (10 Steels and 6 Lithographs) as originally published. Jun 11 1887, Athenæum, 779 1
10. Projectiles.
    The crews at the port batteries were pumping steel at the enemy. Jun 1 1898, Westminster Gazette, 5 1
11. (sewing) A fringe of beads or decoration of this metal.
    A trailing skirt embroidered in what is termed fine steel. Jan 26 1899, Daily News, 6 3
12. (music, guitar) A type of slide used while playing the steel guitar.
13. (uncountable, medicine, obsolete) Medicinal consumption of this metal; chalybeate medicine; (eventually) any iron or iron-treated water consumed as a medical treatment.
    A stronger physick is now necessary, perhaps a whole course of steel: A physick, God knowes, that this Kingdome hath been under five or six yeares. 1649, H. Hammond, Christians Obligations, X 253
    Steel is not so good as Iron for Medicinal Operation. 1704, J. Harris, Lexicon Technicum, volume L
    The Doctor tells me I must go into a Course of Steel, tho I have not the Spleen. Sept 18 1712, Journal to Stella, Jonathan Swift, II 558
    I...am really only kept alive by steel. 1866, Princess Alice, Mem., section 158
14. (countable) Varieties of this metal.
    The bars are exposed to two or three successive processes of cementation, and are hence said to be twice or thrice converted into steels. 1839, A. Ure, Dict. Arts, published 1172
15. (uncountable, colors) The gray hue of this metal; steel-gray, or steel blue.
    Falkenhayn gave...to Jane a steel glacé silk dress. 1851 Dec 28, E. Ruskin, letter in 1965, M. Lutyens, Effie in Venice, II 236
16. (figurative) Extreme hardness or resilience.

adj

1. Made of steel.
   Strained in stel ger on steedes of might. mid-14th century, Alisaunder, 416
   King Peter attributed his father's, King Alexander's, death to the fact that...he had not worn his steel-mesh bullet-proof shirt. 1976, J. Wheeler-Bennett, Friends, Enemies, & Sovereigns, V, 156
2. Similar to steel in color, strength, or the like; steely.
   Wher neuer cessing soyle doth steelebright stuff send out from mines. c. 1560, T. Phaer translating Vergil, Nyne Fyrst Books of the Eneidos, X
3. (business) Of or belonging to the manufacture or trade in steel.
   East Chicago, Ind., a smoky Lake Michigan steel town that isn't exactly famous for its esthetic splendor even when the sun shines. Jan 24 1976, National Observer, 1, 1
4. (medicine, obsolete) Containing steel.
   To mix some Sugar of steel, or steel wine with the first glass. 1652, J. French, York-shire Spaw, X, 92
   I have found a singular Virtue in Steel drops, præpared after my Mode. 1675, G. Harvey, Dis. of London, XXIV, 264
   I...take some nasty steel drops, & may head has been bettr. Feb 17 1713, Journal to Stella, Jonathan Swift, II, 622
5. (printing) Engraved on steel.
   The best picture I have had yet is the steel frontis-piece to my new book. 1880, Mark Twain, letter

verb

1. (transitive) To edge, cover, or point with steel.
   Hure þolien ant a beoren hare unirude duntes wið mealles istelet. c. 1240, “Sawles Warde”, in The Cotton Homilies, section 253
   When God...draws aside his curtain, and shows his arsenal and his armory, full of arrows steeled with wrath. 1651, Bishop Jeremy Taylor, XXVIII Sermons Preacht at Golden Grove, Being for the Summer Half-year, XIX 248
   It was the common notion...that the art of steeling tools in the highest degree of perfection was certainly lost to the moderns. 1831, John Holland, A Treatise on the Progressive Improvement and Present State of the Manufactures in Metal, I 220
2. (transitive) To harden or strengthen; to nerve or make obdurate; to fortify against.
   But stil he was so steelde With heart so good, as victor he dead left them in the field. 1581, Homer, translated by A. Hall, 10 Bks. Iliades, VI 110
   Steel yourself, then, firmly to withstand attacks from the cruel and unfeeling. 1796, F. Burney, Camilla, II iv vi 370
   The rich experience of a long life steeled in the victorious struggle with every unchristian element. 1882, F. W. Farrar, Early Days Christianity, II 380
3. (transitive, obsolete, of mirrors) To back with steel.
   Nay, a Crystall glasse will not show a man his face, except it be steeled, except it be darkned on the backside. c. 1630, John Donne, Sermons, VI 289
4. (transitive, medicine, obsolete) To treat a liquid with steel for medicinal purposes.
   She drunk her drink steeled, with which she was cured. 1657, J. Hall, translated by J. Cooke, Cures, section 117
5. (transitive, dialectal) To press with a flat iron.
   Tha hasn't tha Sense to stile thy own Dressing. 1746, Exmoor Scolding, 3rd edition, II 14
6. (transitive, uncommon) To cause to resemble steel in appearance.
   And lo! those waters, steeled By breezeless air to smoothest polish, yield A vivid repetition of the stars. 1807, William Wordsworth, Sonn. to Liberty, II v
7. (transitive) To steelify; to turn iron into steel.
   By passing an electric current thus through the bars the operation of steeling is much hastened. 1853, Jrnl. Franklin Inst., CXXV 303
   It seems evident that by the beginning of the 10th century B.C. blacksmiths were intentionally steeling iron. 1977 Oct, Scientific American, 127 1
8. (transitive) To electroplate an item, particularly an engraving plate, with a layer of iron.
   My large dry-point,...called Two Stumps of Driftwood, gave 1000 copies (after being steeled) without perceptible wearing. 1880, P. G. Hamerton, Etching & Etchers, 3rd edition, section 342
9. (transitive) To sharpen with a honing steel.