/ 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.