steel

I. noun Etymology: Middle English stele, from Old English stȳle, stēle; akin to Old High German stahal steel and perhaps to Sanskrit stakati he resists Date: before 12th century 1. commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as an essential alloying constituent, is malleable when under suitable conditions, and is distinguished from cast iron by its malleability and lower carbon content 2. an instrument or implement of or characteristically of steel: as a. a thrusting or cutting weapon b. an instrument (as a fluted round rod with a handle) for sharpening knives c. a piece of steel for striking sparks from flint 3. a quality (as hardness of mind or spirit) that suggests steel <

nerves of steel

> 4. a. the steel manufacturing industry b. plural shares of stock in steel companies II. transitive verb Date: 13th century 1. to overlay, point, or edge with steel 2. a. to cause to resemble steel (as in looks or hardness) b. to fill with resolution or determination <

steeled herself to face the crisis

> III. adjective Date: 13th century 1. made of steel 2. of or relating to the production of steel 3. resembling steel