steel

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English

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Pronunciation

Etymology 1

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”)[1] (compare Umbrian stakaz (“upright, erected”), Avestan 𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬑𐬭𐬀 (staxra, “strong”), Sanskrit स्तकति (stakati, “resist, strike against”)), related to Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”).[2]

Noun

steel (countable and uncountable, plural steels)

  1. An artificial metal produced from iron, harder and more elastic than elemental iron; used figuratively as a symbol of hardness.
    • c. 725 Corpus Gloss., 1431:
      Ocearium stæli.
    • c. 825 Epinal Gloss., 49:
      Accearium steeli.
    • c. 1275 Laȝamon, Brut, 12916:
      Þe alle þine leomen wule to-draȝen. þeh þu weore stel al.
    • c. 1473 William Caxton translating Raoul Le Fèvre, The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, I:
      Employeng the steell of his swerd the most best wyse that in hym was possible.
    • c. 1480 St. Mary Magdalen, 408 in 1896, W. M. Metcalfe, Legends Saints Sc. Dial., I 267:
      Weman...with wordis cane rycht wele our-cum mene hard as stele.
    • 1601, P. Holland translating Pliny, Hist. World, II xxxiv xiv 514:
      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)
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: [...] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 15:12:
      Shall yron breake the Northren yron, and the steele?
      (The Hebrew word is נחשת meaning copper. "Bow of steele" occurs in three places translating קשת נחושה.)
    • c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: [...] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv], line 33:
      ...Like a man of Steele.
    • 1946, Thorpe's Dictionary of Applied Chemistry 4th ed., VII 47 1:
      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.
    • 1976 Jul, Scientific American, 68 2:
      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.
  2. (countable) Any item made of this metal, particularly including:
    1. Bladed or pointed weapons, as swords, javelins, daggers.
      • c. 1250 The Owl & the Nightengale, 1030:
        For heom ne may halter ne bridel Bringe from here wode wyse, Ne mon mid stele ne mid ire.
      • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: [...] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], line 35:
        For braue Macbeth (well hee deſerues that Name)
        Diſdayning Fortune, with his brandiſht Steele,
        Which ſmoak'd with bloody execution
        (Like Valours Minion) caru'd out his paſſage.
      • 1712, Lord Shaftesbury, Characteristicks, III 115:
        But who wou'd dream that out of abundant Charity and Brotherly Love shou'd come Steel, Fire, Gibbets, Rods.
      • 1892, Rudyard Kipling, Barrack-room Ballads, section 139:
        They have asked for the steel. They shall have it now; Out cutlasses and board!
      • 1905, Saxo Grammaticus, translated by Oliver Elton, The Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus, section II:
        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...
    2. A piece used for striking sparks from flint.
      • c. 1220 Bestiary, 535:
        Of ston mid stel in ðe tunder wel to brennen one ðis wunder.
      • 1660, Robert Boyle, New Experiments Physico-mechanicall, XIV 89:
        The Cock falling with its wonted violence upon the Steel.
    3. Armor.
    4. A honing steel, a tool used to sharpen or hone metal blades.
      • 1541 in 1844, J. Stuart, Extracts of the Council Register of Aberdeen, I 176:
        The steill to scherp the schawing jrne.
      • 1883, Howard Pyle, chapter V, in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood […], New York, N.Y.: [...] Charles Scribner’s Sons […], →OCLC:
        When he came to Nottingham, he entered that part of the market where butchers stood, and took up his inn in the best place he could find. Next, he opened his stall and spread his meat upon the bench, then, taking his cleaver and steel and clattering them together, he trolled aloud in merry tones...
    5. (sewing) Pieces used to strengthen, support, or expand an item of clothing.
      • 1608, G. Markham & al., Dumbe Knight, I:
        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?
      • 1904 February 22, Daily Chron, 5 4:
        I suppose the bullet must have struck the steels in my corsets.
    6. (dialectal) A flat iron.
      • 1638, J. Taylor, Bull, Beare, & Horse, C5:
        One of them having occasion to use a Steele, smoothing Iron, or some such kinde of Laundry Instrument.
    7. (sewing, dialectal) A sewing needle; a knitting needle; a sharp metal stylus.
      • 1785, William Cowper, Task, IV 165:
        The threaded steel...Flies swiftly.
    8. (printing) An engraving plate:
      • 1843, J. Ballantine, The gaberlunzie's wallet. With numerous illustrations on steel and wood.:
      • 1887 June 11, Athenæum, 779 1:
        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.
    9. Projectiles.
      • 1898 Jun 1, Westminster Gazette, 5 1:
        The crews at the port batteries were pumping steel at the enemy.
    10. (sewing) A fringe of beads or decoration of this metal.
      • 1899 January 26, Daily News, 6 3:
        A trailing skirt embroidered in what is termed fine steel.
    11. (music, guitar) A type of slide used while playing the steel guitar.
  3. (uncountable, medicine, obsolete) Medicinal consumption of this metal; chalybeate medicine; (eventually) any iron or iron-treated water consumed as a medical treatment.
    • 1649, H. Hammond, Christians Obligations, X 253:
      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.
    • 1704, J. Harris, Lexicon Technicum, volume L:
      Steel is not so good as Iron for Medicinal Operation.
    • 1712 Sept 18, Jonathan Swift, Journal to Stella, II 558:
      The Doctor tells me I must go into a Course of Steel, tho I have not the Spleen.
    • 1866, Princess Alice, Mem., section 158:
      I...am really only kept alive by steel.
  4. (countable) Varieties of this metal.
    • 1839, A. Ure, Dict. Arts, published 1172:
      The bars are exposed to two or three successive processes of cementation, and are hence said to be twice or thrice converted into steels.
  5. (uncountable, colors) The gray hue of this metal; steel-gray, or steel blue.
    • 1851 Dec 28, E. Ruskin, letter in 1965, M. Lutyens, Effie in Venice, II 236:
      Falkenhayn gave...to Jane a steel glacé silk dress.
    • 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Chapter 132”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
      It was a clear steel-blue day. The firmaments of air and sea were hardly separable in that all-pervading azure; only, the pensive air was transparently pure and soft, with a woman’s look, and the robust and man-like sea heaved with long, strong, lingering swells, as Samson’s chest in his sleep.
  6. (figurative) Extreme hardness or resilience.
Hyponyms
Hyponyms from steel (noun)
Derived terms
Terms derived from steel (noun)
Translations

Adjective

steel (not comparable)

  1. Made of steel.
  2. Similar to steel in color, strength, or the like; steely.
  3. (business) Of or belonging to the manufacture or trade in steel.
  4. (medicine, obsolete) Containing steel.
    • 1652, J. French, York-shire Spaw, X, 92:
      To mix some Sugar of steel, or steel wine with the first glass.
    • 1675, G. Harvey, Dis. of London, XXIV, 264:
      I have found a singular Virtue in Steel drops, præpared after my Mode.
    • 1713 Feb 17, Jonathan Swift, Journal to Stella, II, 622:
      I...take some nasty steel drops, & may head has been bettr.
  5. (printing) Engraved on steel.
    • 1880, Mark Twain, letter:
      The best picture I have had yet is the steel frontis-piece to my new book.
Translations

Verb

steel (third-person singular simple present steels, present participle steeling, simple past and past participle steeled)

  1. (transitive) To edge, cover, or point with steel.
    • c. 1240 Sawles Warde in The Cotton Homilies, 253:
      Hure þolien ant a beoren hare unirude duntes wið mealles istelet.
    • c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: [...] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], line 148:
      Ile in to vrge his hatred more to Clarence, With lies well steeld with weighty arguments.
    • 1651, Bishop Jeremy Taylor, XXVIII Sermons Preacht at Golden Grove, Being for the Summer Half-year, XIX 248:
      When God...draws aside his curtain, and shows his arsenal and his armory, full of arrows steeled with wrath.
    • 1831, John Holland, A Treatise on the Progressive Improvement and Present State of the Manufactures in Metal, I 220:
      It was the common notion...that the art of steeling tools in the highest degree of perfection was certainly lost to the moderns.
  2. (transitive) To harden or strengthen; to nerve or make obdurate; to fortify against.
    • 1581, A. Hall translating Homer, 10 Bks. Iliades, VI 110:
      But stil he was so steelde With heart so good, as victor he dead left them in the field.
    • 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: [...] Richard Field, […], →OCLC; Shakespeare’s Venus & Adonis: […], 4th edition, London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent and Co. […], 1896, →OCLC:
      Giue me my heart...O giue it me lest thy hard heart do steele it, And being steeld, soft sighes can neuer graue it.
      The spelling has been modernized.
    • 1796, F. Burney, Camilla, II iv vi 370:
      Steel yourself, then, firmly to withstand attacks from the cruel and unfeeling.
    • 1882, F. W. Farrar, Early Days Christianity, II 380:
      The rich experience of a long life steeled in the victorious struggle with every unchristian element.
  3. (transitive, obsolete, of mirrors) To back with steel.
    • c. 1630 John Donne, Sermons, VI 289:
      Nay, a Crystall glasse will not show a man his face, except it be steeled, except it be darkned on the backside.
  4. (transitive, medicine, obsolete) To treat a liquid with steel for medicinal purposes.
    • 1657, J. Hall, translated by J. Cooke, Cures, section 117:
      She drunk her drink steeled, with which she was cured.
  5. (transitive, dialectal) To press with a flat iron.
    • 1746, Exmoor Scolding 3rd ed., II 14:
      Tha hasn't tha Sense to stile thy own Dressing.
  6. (transitive, uncommon) To cause to resemble steel in appearance.
    • 1807, William Wordsworth, Sonn. to Liberty, II v:
      And lo! those waters, steeled By breezeless air to smoothest polish, yield A vivid repetition of the stars.
  7. (transitive) To steelify; to turn iron into steel.
    • 1853, Jrnl. Franklin Inst., CXXV 303:
      By passing an electric current thus through the bars the operation of steeling is much hastened.
    • 1977 Oct, Scientific American, 127 1:
      It seems evident that by the beginning of the 10th century B.C. blacksmiths were intentionally steeling iron.
  8. (transitive) To electroplate an item, particularly an engraving plate, with a layer of iron.
    • 1880, P. G. Hamerton, Etching & Etchers 3rd ed., 342:
      My large dry-point,...called Two Stumps of Driftwood, gave 1000 copies (after being steeled) without perceptible wearing.
  9. (transitive) To sharpen with a honing steel.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From French Bastille (a French prison).[3]

Proper noun

steel

  1. (UK, crime, slang, obsolete) Coldbath Fields Prison in London, closed in 1877.
    • 1862, Havelock Ellis, The Criminal, page 162:
      I was lugged before the beak, who gave me six doss in the steel. [...] six months in the Bastille (the old House of Corrections), Coldbath Fields.
    • 1866, George Augustus Sala, Edmund Hodgson Yates, Temple Bar, volume 16, page 507:
      He said he had been in the “steel” (Coldbath Fields Prison) eight times.
    • 1879, Macmillan's Magazine, volume 40, page 502:
      This time I got two moon for assaulting the reelers when canon. For this I went to the Steel (Bastile[sic] — Coldbath Fields Prison), having a new suit of clobber on me and about fifty blow in my brigh (pocket).
Further reading
  • 1811, Lexicon Balatronicum: Steel, the house of correction.
  • 1819, J. H. Vaux, New Vocab. Flash Lang. in Mem.: Bastile, generally called for shortnes, the steel a cant name for the House of Correction, Cold-Bath-Fields, London.

References

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, "Steel, n. 1" & "v."
  2. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “steel”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
  3. ^ Oxford English Dictionary. "Steel, n. 2".

Anagrams

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch stelen, from Middle Dutch stelen.

Pronunciation

Verb

steel (present steel, present participle stelende, past participle gesteel)

  1. to steal

Derived terms

Dutch

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch stēle, from Old Dutch *stelo, from Proto-West Germanic *stelō, *stalu, from Proto-Germanic *staluz, *steluz (“post, trunk, stump, stem, tail”), from Proto-Indo-European *stel- (“to put, place”). Cognate with dialectal English steal (“stem, stalk”), Scots steel, stiel (“stalk”).

Noun

steel m (plural stelen, diminutive steeltje n)

  1. stem (of a plant)
  2. handle (of a broom, a pan)
Synonyms
Derived terms

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

steel

  1. (deprecated template usage) first-person singular present indicative of stelen
  2. (deprecated template usage) imperative of stelen

Anagrams

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