STEEL


Meaning of STEEL in English

/ stiːl; NAmE / noun , verb

■ noun [ U ]

1.

a strong hard metal that is made of a mixture of iron and

carbon :

the iron and steel industry

The frame is made of steel.

The bridge is reinforced with huge steel girders.

—see also stainless steel

2.

the industry that produces steel :

Steel used to be important in South Wales.

steel workers

a steel town

3.

( old use or literary ) weapons that are used for fighting :

the clash of steel

IDIOMS

- of steel

■ verb

steel yourself (for / against sth) to prepare yourself to deal with sth unpleasant :

[ vn ]

As she waited, she steeled herself for disappointment.

[ vn to inf ]

He steeled himself to tell them the truth.

••

WORD ORIGIN

Old English stӯle , stēli , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch staal , German Stahl , also to the noun stay sense 2. The verb dates from the late 16th cent.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.