— steellike , adj.
/steel/ , n.
1. any of various modified forms of iron, artificially produced, having a carbon content less than that of pig iron and more than that of wrought iron, and having qualities of hardness, elasticity, and strength varying according to composition and heat treatment: generally categorized as having a high, medium, or low-carbon content.
2. a thing or things made of this metal.
3. a flat strip of this metal used for stiffening, esp. in corsets; stay.
4. a bar of this metal that has one end formed to hold a bit for driving through rock.
5. steels , stocks or bonds of companies producing this metal.
6. a sword.
7. a rounded rod of ridged steel, fitted with a handle and used esp. for sharpening knives.
adj.
8. pertaining to or made of steel.
9. like steel in color, hardness, or strength.
v.t.
10. to fit with steel, as by pointing, edging, or overlaying.
11. to cause to resemble steel in some way.
12. to render insensible, inflexible, unyielding, determined, etc.: He steeled himself to perform the dangerous task.
[ bef. 900; (n.) ME stele, OE (north) stele; c. D staal, G Stahl, ON stal; (v.) ME stelen, OE styled edged with steel, deriv. of the n. ]