Steel sb.¹

Forms: 1 stǽli, steeli, stéli, stýle, 3–4 stel (3 pl. stelen), 3–5 stiel, 3–6 stele, 4 styl, Sc. steile, 4–5 steell, style, 4–6 stile, Sc. steill, 5 steille, stelle, steyle, stiell, 5–6 stell, steyll, still, 6 steelle, steil, stiele, (steiele,) 6–7 steele, 4– steel. [OE. stýle neut., earlier stǽli = OS. stehli (Gallée), OFris. *stêl (whence stêlen made of steel; WFris. stiel, NFris. stel, stial):—OTeut. type *staχljo-m (literally, something made of steel, but in OE. also used for the metal itself, as in late L. aciārium superseded aciēs):—f. OTeut. *staχlo- steel, represented by MLG. stål, MDu. stael (mod.Du staal neut.), OHG. stahal (MHG. stahel neut., masc., mod.G. stahl masc.), ON. stál neut. (Sw. stål; Da. staal). Outside Teut. no corresponding word has been found; the OPrussian stakla steel is prob. adopted from Teut. with sound-substitution. The root appears to be Teut. *staχ- : *stag- (:—pre-Teut. *stak-) to be firm or rigid: see STAY sb.¹]

  1.  A general name for certain artificially produced varieties of iron, distinguished from those known as ‘iron’ by certain physical properties, esp. greater hardness and elasticity, which render them suitable as material for cutting instruments, and for various other industrial purposes.

  Chemically steel is a nearly pure iron, the proportion of other substances varying from less than 1 to 3 per cent. Formerly ‘steel’ could be defined as containing more carbon than wrought iron, and less than cast iron; but since about 1860 the name has been extended to certain products containing very little carbon.

Beowulf, 985. Wæs steda næʓla ʓehwylc style ʓelicost.

c. 725.  Corpus Gloss., 1431. Occarium stæli.

c. 825.  Epinal Gloss., 49. Accearium steeli.

c. 1205.  Lay., 25814. Hælm an his hafde hehne of stele.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 160. Vor ne beo neuer so briht gold, ne seoluer, ne iren, ne stel, þet hit ne schal drawen rust of on þet is irusted.

c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., 460/130. Wit strongue dores of Ire and stiel.

a. 1366[?].  Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 946. Iren was ther noon ne steell For al was golde.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 3313. Grete slabbes of styl & yre to þe walles þo wern y-slente.

1436.  Libel Eng. Policy, in Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 171. Now bere and bacon bene fro Pruse ibroughte Into Fflaundres,… Osmonde, coppre, bow-staffes, stile, and wex.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 232 b. An hammer of golde is … more worth than is a hammer or stele, yet y^e hammer of stele is more profytable.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 118. He now doubteth not but to find you … as sure to hym as the Adamant to the stele.

1549.  Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., IX. 347. Item, for foure punde steill deliverit to Schir Williame Makdougall, price of the punde xx d.; summa vj s. viij d.

1561.  Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 34 b. Take two flynt stones and a pece of stile.

1583.  Rates Custom Ho., D ij. Looking glasses of Steel.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, XXXIV. xiv. II. 514. The purest part thereof [sc. 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.  Bible, Jer. xv. 12. Shall yron breake the Northren yron, and the steele?

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 874. A Looking-Glasse with the Steele behinde, looketh Whiter, than Glasse Simple.

a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies, Glouc. (1662), 349. Steele … is Eldest Brother of Iron, extracted from the same Oare, differing from it not in kind, but degree of purity, as being the first running thereof. It is more hard and brittle (whilest Iron is softer and tougher).

1680.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., x. 179. Its point is made of tempered Steel.

1812.  Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 390. Steel is usually made by a process called cementation, which consists in keeping bars of iron in contact with powdered charcoal in a state of ignition for 10 or 12 days.

1823.  W. Phillips, Min. (ed. 3), 214. It is also said that pseudo-volcanic steel … was found a league and a half from Neiss.

1870.  Yeats, Nat. Hist. Comm., 355. Spathose pig-iron can be converted into steel without any intermediate processes.

1890.  J. Parry, in Nature, 20 Nov., 51. The old definition of steel, i.e. a compound of iron and carbon, is as true as ever, when applied … to … tools with cutting edges &c.;… the Bessemer product cannot in this sense be termed steel at all.

  b.  A particular variety or sort of steel.

1839.  Ure, Dict. Arts, 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.

1891.  Daily News, 14 Dec., 2/6. Fair orders for self-hardening and other special steels are coming in. Ibid. (1898), 25 April, 9/4. A steady business is being done in all kinds of Swedish steels.

  c.  with defining attribute: see also BESSEMER-, BLISTER- (sb. 4), CAST (ppl. a. 8), TOOL- (sb. 5) steel; SHEAR-STEEL.

1812.  Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 390. Cemented steel is made into the substance called cast steel by being fused in a close crucible with a mixture of powdered glass and charcoal.

1822.  Imison, Sci. & Art, II. 107. Steel of cementation. Ibid. Natural steel is made by keeping cast iron in a state of fusion in a furnace.

1858.  Greener, Gunnery, 129. Mr. Armstrong may … lay claim to being an originator of wrought steel cannon;… to Mr. Krupp is due the honour of first introducing cast steel cannon to the notice of our Government.

1876.  Voyle & Stevenson, Milit. Dict., 406/1. Firth’s Steel, the steel used in the manufacture of the tube of British rifled guns.

1892.  Greener, Breech-Loader, 12. The alloys of iron, manganese steel, nickel steel, aluminium steel,… are not yet made of such uniform quality as will admit of their adoption by gun-makers of reputation.

1900.  Engineering Mag., XIX. 766/1. The use of concrete and of concrete steel for dry-dock work.

1902.  Westm. Gaz., 24 July, 8/1. The hull … is built of chrome steel.

  ¶ d.  Applied (after It. acciaio; cf. STEEL GLASS 2) to: An alloy of tin and copper used for making optical ‘spheres.’ Obs. rare.

1662.  Merrett, Neri’s Art Glass, cxiii. 166.

  2.  Similative and figurative uses, in which steel is taken as the type of hardness.

c. 1205.  Lay., 25879. Þe alle þine leomen wule to-draȝen Þeh þu weore stel al.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 3956. Þey my tonge were of stel, me ssolde noȝt dure þer to.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4297. Þof his hert al stillen were, Hert o stele and bodi o brass.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xvi. (Magd.), 408. Weman … with wordis cane rycht wele our-cum mene hard as stele.

1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., IV. iv. 33. Like a man of Steele.

1633.  G. Herbert, Temple, Sacrifice, liii. He would not cease to kneel, Till all were melted, though he were all steel.

1772.  Gentl. Mag., March, 149/2. A lawless set of levellers in the North of Ireland, called Hearts of Steel, attacked the house of Richard Johnson, Esq.

1849.  Robertson, Serm., Ser. I. xiii. (1866), 216. The heart of steel which beat beneath the Roman’s robe. Ibid. (1853), Ser. IV. xvii. (1876), 222. We have steel and nerve enough in our hearts to dare anything.

  b.  Phrase, true as steel (said of persons, rarely of things, statements, etc.). Also, † steel to the (very) back: thoroughly robust; thoroughly trustworthy.

a. 1300.  Siriz, 95, in Anecd. Lit. (1844), 5. Oure love is also trewe as stel, Withouten wou.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 4864. Tristiloker þan ony stel.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 334. That ben as trewe as euer was any steel.

1589.  Nashe, Martin Marprelate, Wks. (Grosart), I. 174. Report it of my word; for it is as true as steele.

1599.  Porter, Angry Wom. Abington (Percy Soc.), 41. I promise ye, maister Philip, you haue spoken as true as steele.

1705.  Dunton, Life & Err., 244. He’s as true as Steell to his Word.

1862.  Mrs. Houston, Recomm. Mercy, iv. True as steel to the man to whom she had sworn to be faithful unto death.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., IV. iii. 47. We are … No big-bon’d men, fram’d of the Cyclops size, But mettall Marcus, steele to the very backe.

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXXIX. xl. 1050. His bodie was steele to the verie backe [L. ferre prope corporis].

1603.  Chettle, etc., Grissill, II. C 1 b. Hee’s Steele to the backe you see, for he writes Challenges.

1635.  Heywood, Philocothonista, 44. One that is steele to the backe. [Here euphemistically of a drunkard.]

  c.  Sport. Power of endurance or sustained effort.

1850.  Smedley, Frank Fairlegh, xxxi. 256. The horses are in first-rate condition … till they’ve done about ten miles; that takes the steel out of them a bit.

1891.  Daily News, 3 July, 8/3. The Oxonians struggled on pluckily, but the steel was taken all out of them by this time.

1897.  W. H. Thornton, Reminisc. W.-Co. Clergyman, vii. 233. All the steel and energy had left me.

  3.  Steel in the form of weapons or cutting tools (occas. spurs, a trap, etc.). Hence in particularized use, † a sword, lance, bayonet, or the like.

a. 1000.  Riddles, xciii. 18. Blod ut ne com, heolfor of hreþre, þeah mec heard bite stiðecʓ style.

c. 1205.  Lay., 9799. Helmes þer gullen stercliche to-stopen mid steles egge. Ibid., 19503. Mid bitele stelen.

c. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1030. For heom ne may halter ne bridel Bringe from here wode wyse, Ne mon mid stele ne mid ire.

1581.  A. Hall, Iliad, VIII. 143. He with these words doth plucke his bow, & sends his piercing steele, To Hector straight.

1593.  Shaks., Rich. II., III. ii. 59. Euery man that Bullingbroke hath prest, To lift shrewd steele against our Golden Crowne.

1597.  J. Payne, Royal Exch., 23. Yt ys as a rustie cancker eatinge throw without recoverie by eyther gentle oyle or the hard stele.

1602.  trans. Guarini’s Pastor Fido, IV. iii. L 2 b. Mirtillo … throwes his Dart, thinking to wound Nicander: And had the steele hit as he did direct, Nicander had been slaine.

1712.  Shaftesb., Charac. (1733), III. 115. But who wou’d dream that out of abundant Charity and Brotherly Love shou’d come Steel, Fire, Gibbets, Rods.

1735.  Somerville, Chase, III. 206. By th’ indented Steel With Gripe tenacious held, the Felon grins, And struggles, but in vain.

1764.  Oxf. Sausage, 59. Or Groom invade me … whose emaciate Steeds … Had panted oft beneath my goring Steel.

1784.  Cowper, Task, III. 414. No meaner hand may discipline the shoots, None but his steel approach them.

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., V. x. The stern joy which warriors feel In foemen worthy of their steel.

1815.  Byron, Hebr. Melodies, Song Saul, 4. Bury your steel in the bosoms of Gath!

1892.  Kipling, Barrack-room Ballads, 139. Grapple her stern and bow. They have asked for the steel. They shall have it now; Out cutlasses and board!

1896.  T. Roosevelt, in Harper’s Mag., XCII. 707–8. He trained his soldiers to trust the steel.

  b.  Cold steel: cutting or thrusting weapons.

  [Cf. G. kalter stahl; also cold iron (COLD a. 1 b, IRON sb. 6 a) = ON. kalt járn.).

1816.  [see COLD a. 1 b].

1896.  Baden-Powell, Matabele Campaign, vi. Nor do they wait for their bayonets:… for though fond of administering cold steel, it is the last thing they wish to meet with themselves.

  c.  U.S. To draw one’s steel: to use one’s pistol.

1902.  Wister, Virginian, ii. He has handed Trampas the choice to back down or draw his steel.

  d.  Used for: Steel shot.

1898.  Westm. Gaz., 1 June, 5/1. The crews at the port batteries were pumping steel at the enemy.

  4.  Steel as the material of defensive armor.

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 3324. Þai gun hem boþe armi In iren and stiel þat tide.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 1378. Þan Alexander all his ane an-ane he ascendis, Closid all in clere stele.

c. 1450.  in Kingsford, Chron. London (1905), 120. Stedes þ^er stumbelyd in þ^t stownde þ^t stood stere stuffed vnder stele.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 200. Weill stuffit in steill, on thair stout stedis.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xxvii. 81. So stern he wes in steill.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., I. iv. 52. In compleat steele.

1667.  Milton, P. L., II. 569. Or arm th’ obdured brest With stubborn patience as with triple steel.

1842.  Tennyson, Galahad, 6. The hard brands shiver on the steel.

  fig.  1634.  Milton, Comus, 421. She that has that [chastity], is clad in compleat steel.

1817.  Shelley, Rev. Islam, VIII. vii. 9. Though truth and virtue arm their hearts with tenfold steel.

  5.  As a material for plates engraved with drawings or designs to be reproduced by printing. Hence, as a trade term: A steel engraving.

1843.  J. Ballantine (title), The Gaberlunzie’s Wallet. With numerous illustrations on steel and wood.

1887.  Athenæum, 11 June, 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.

  6.  Iron as used medicinally; chalybeate medicine.

  In early practice iron or steel filings were sometimes administered internally; another mode of exhibition was to give the water in which iron or steel had been quenched when red hot, or had been allowed to remain for some days. The ordinary notion was that ‘iron’ and ‘steel’ were different medicines, with similar but not identical therapeutic effect. Steel is now used in untechnical lang. for any chalybeate medicine, perh. especially iron chloride.

1647.  Hammond, Serm., x. Wks. 1683, IV. 535. A stronger physick is now necessary, perhaps a whole course of steel: A physick, God knows, that this Kingdom hath been under five or six years.

1675.  G. Harvey, Dis. Lond., xxiii. 249. Medicines prepared of Steel have their particular uses.

1699.  Garth, Dispens., IV. 58. Some fell by Laudanum, and some by Steel, And Death in ambush lay in ev’ry Pill.

1702.  J. Purcell, Cholick (1714), 159. The only Addition … to be made, is the use of gentle Steel. Strong Steel … will heat too much.

1704.  J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Steel is not so good as Iron for Medicinal Operation.

1706.  Watts, Horæ Lyricæ, II. 146. When bark and steel play well their game To save our sinking breath.

1712.  Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 18 Sept. The doctor tells me I must go into a course of steel, though I have not the spleen.

1801.  Med. Jrnl., V. 212. Dropsy … yielded to the stimulus and invigorating powers of steel combined with diuretics.

1866.  P’cess Alice, Mem. (1884), 158. I … am really only kept alive by steel.

1898.  Hutchinson’s Arch. Surg., IX. 303. At first iodide of potassium was given, but subsequently steel.

  b.  † Salt of steel: usually, iron chloride (but used also for the sulphate or other salts of iron). Flowers of steel: iron chloride prepared by heating, steel filings, etc., with sal-ammoniac. † Sugar of steel: see SUGAR sb. 3 a. Tincture of steel: tincture of iron chloride.

1704.  J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Vitriol of Mars, or Salt or Steel, is made by dissolving Steel in some proper Acid Menstruum, then Evaporating [etc.].

1758.  [R. Dossie], Elaboratory laid open, 291. Ens veneris, or flowers of steel. Take, of washed colcothar of green vitriol, or steel filings, one pound, of sal ammoniacum, two pounds: [etc.].

1758.  E. Wright, in Phil. Trans., L. 598. Salt of steel, taken internally, must retain its astringency until it be precipitated.

1765.  A. Dickson, Treat. Agric. (ed. 2), 45. Plants of barley were poisoned … by salt of steel.

1797.  Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), IV. 465/1. These [crystals] are named salt of steel, and are used in medicine; but for the salt made with the pure acid and iron, the common copperas is commonly substituted.

1818.  S. F. Gray, Suppl. Pharmacop., 267. Tincture of Steel.

  7.  The steel part of anything.

c. 1450.  Merlin, vi. 98. The archebisshop lowted to the swerde, and sawgh letteres of golde in the stiel. Ibid., xiv. 222. The stiell of the speres stynte at the haubrekes.

1471.  Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 160. Employeng the steell of his swerd the most best wyse that in hym was possible.

1561.  Eden, trans. Cortes’ Art Navig., III. iv. 63. Whiche shalbe the marke for the settynge of the Irens and Stieles [in making a mariner’s compass].

1816.  Byron, Siege Cor., xxvi. Many a hand’s on a richer hilt, But none on a steel more ruddily gilt.

1895.  Daily News, 22 Aug., 6/2. It is far longer in the steel than a common salmon hook, and is a double hook.

  8.  As the name of various instruments made of steel. a. A piece of steel shaped for the purpose of striking fire with a flint. † In a pistol or firelock, the piece of steel which is struck by the ‘cock’ carrying the flint.

c. 1220.  Bestiary, 535. Or ston mid stel in ðe tunder wel to brennen one ðis wunder.

1589.  [see FLINT sb. 2].

1590.  Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, 47. Or vpon the hammers or steeles, if they be Snap-hances.

1619.  H. Hutton, Follies Anat., B 2 b. Where’s your Tobacco box, your steele and touch?

1660.  Boyle, New Exper. Phys.-Mech., xiv. 89. The Cock falling with its wonted violence upon the Steel.

1701.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3708/3. The Hammer, a Bag, a Pick-Ax, a false Key, and a Steel, were left by the said Murderers.

1833.  Reg. Instr. Cavalry, I. 99. Bring the Carbine … to the priming position, the thumb before the steel.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. VI. vii. Nor will the steel-and-flint answer, though they try it.

  b.  A rod of steel, fluted or plain, fitted with a handle, used for sharpening table or butchers’ knives.

1541.  Extracts Aberdeen Reg. (1844), I. 176. The steill to scherp the schawing jrne.

1580.  Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Vn Fusil … the stile of a butcher wherewith he whetteth or sharpeneth his kniues.

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 292/2. The Butchers Steel … is his only badg of being a Slaughter-Man.

1758.  Johnson, Idler, No. 67, ¶ 5. A man whose steel by his side declared him a butcher.

1851.  Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 177/1. A butcher’s knife, 1s.; a steel, 1s. 6d.

1894.  Hall Caine, Manxman, 186. Cæsar sharpened the carving-knife on the steel.

  † c.  A steel mirror. Obs. (? nonce-use.)

a. 1643.  W. Cartwright, Lady Errant, V. iv. The Steels you see your faces in.

  d.  A flat-iron. Obs. exc. dial.

1638.  J. Taylor (Water P.), Bull, Bear & Horse (1876), 39. One of them having occasion to use a Steele, smoothing Iron, or some such kinde of Laundry Instrument.

1873.  Exhibition, 67 (E.D.D.). Weth a iron flat, what they do iron clooas weth, called a still.

  e.  A needle; a knitting-needle. dial.

[1784.  Cowper, Task, IV. 165. The threaded steel … Flies swiftly.]

1839.  McDowall, Poems, 87 (E.D.D.). ’Twere better she had steek’d her gab Wi’ steel an’ thread.

1901.  ‘Zack,’ Dunstable Weir, 133. And at that mother would pick up her knitting and clack the needles together till the stitches fair tumbled from the steels.

  † f.  A stylet, a stylus. Obs.

1799.  G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 230. With a pointed steel, or needle, draw or write on it what you please.

  g.  The steels = skates.

1875.  Field, 2 Jan., 1/3. The ladies, whenever they can, are acquiring the use of the steels.

1895.  Outing, XXVII. 201/1. Considerable skill on the steels.

  9.  Dress. a. A strip of steel used to give stiffness or support, or to expand a dress.

1608.  Machin, Dumb Knt., I. i. I haue a ruffe is a quarter deep, measured by the yard…. You haue a pretty set too, how big is the steele you set with?

1885.  Pall Mall Gaz., 11 May, 4/1. Creatures with 16-inch waists, and a weight of steels, horsehair, and drapery depending therefrom.

1891.  Eng. Illustr. Mag., Dec., 193. A semi-tubular arrangement of steels, that gave a peculiar swinging motion to the train of the dress.

1904.  Daily Chron., 22 Feb., 5/4. I suppose the bullet must have struck the steels in my corsets.

  b.  A dress trimming made of steel beads or ornaments.

1899.  Daily News, 26 Jan., 6/3. A trailing skirt embroidered in what is termed fine steel.

  10.  pl. (Finance.) Shares in steel-manufacturing companies.

1912.  Times, 19 Dec., 19/4. Steels lost ¹/₃ in the Common and 1 point in the Preferred stock at 35¹/₄ and 64 respectively. Ibid. (1913), 13 Sept., 17/3. Industrials were generally good, with Steels prominent on trade advices.

  II.  attrib. and Comb.

  11.  attrib., passing into adj. Made or consisting of steel.

  Such combinations are sometimes hyphened or formed into one word (e.g., steel-filings, steelwork) in order to indicate their specific character.

c. 1400.  Laud Troy Bk., 4679. Coffres grete with stele barrelles.

1497.  Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 108. Stele spades … vj.

1537.  Bury Wills (Camden), 130. My stell pan and my lyttell huche on the soller.

1542.  Invent. R. Wardr. Scot. (1815), 63. Item ane steill mirrour set in silver.

1607.  B. Barnes, Divils Charter, V. i. K 2. He shall haue two steele bullets strongly charg’d.

a. 1618.  Rates of Merchandizes, L 4. Steele Wire.

1681.  Grew, Musæum, I. § 7. ii. 169. The under parts blew, exactly like that colour which Watch-Makers and others give to their Steel-Works. Ibid. (1697), Epsom Waters, 46. Take, of Steell-Filings powder’d, ten Grains.

1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), IV. 117. As steel-dust rushes to adamant.

1771.  Encycl. Brit., III. 511/2. A slender sharp-pointed steel-bodkin.

1854.  Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims, Poet. & Imag., Wks. (Bohn), III. 143. As when a boy finds that his pocket knife will attract steel filings.

1890.  W. J. Gordon, Foundry, 63. All the steelwork of the ship is made in the shop except the fore and aft posts.

  b.  often of weapons and armor.

1340–70.  Alisaunder, 416. Strained in stel ger [MS. stelger] on steedes of might.

13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 260. Þy burȝ & þy burnes best ar holden, Stifest vnder stel-gere on stedes to ryde.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 9634. Mony stoute þere was storuen vnder stel wedis.

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst. xvi. 107. I shuld with this steyll brand Byrkyn all his bonys.

1549.  Compl. Scot., xix. 163. In steil iakkis and in cotis of mailȝe.

1551.  Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., X. 18. My lord governouris steill bonett.

1588.  Shuttleworths’ Acc. (Chetham Soc.), 44. Sixtene hundrethe and a halffe of plates to be a stiell cote, ix^s vj^d.

1632.  W. Lithgow, Trav., III. 89. On his head he weareth a bare steele cap.

1814.  Scott, Ld. of Isles, VI. xxxii. Stirrup, steel-boot, and cuish gave way. Ibid. (1829), Anne of G., xxvi. I will grasp the mountain-hedgehog, prickles and all, with my steel-gauntlet.

1868.  Morris, Earthly Par., Man born to be King, 1259. Raise up the steel-cap from thine head.

  c.  in poetical or rhetorical allusion to the use of steel for armor or weapons.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., I. iii. 231 (Qo.). The tyrant custome … Hath made the flinty and steele Cooch of warre My thrice driuen bed of downe.

1815.  Scott, Field of Waterloo, xi. Steel-gleams broke Like lightning through the rolling smoke.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. III. ix. So, however, with steel-besom, Rascality is brushed back into its dim depths.

  12.  Indicating medicaments, etc., containing iron, as steel drops, lozenge, pill, water, wine.

1652.  French, Yorksh. Spa, x. 92. To mix some Sugar of steel, or steel wine with the first glass.

1675.  G. Harvey, Dis. Lond., xxiv. 264. I have found a singular Virtue in Steel drops, prepared after my Mode.

1712–3.  Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 17 Feb. I … take some nasty steel drops, and my head has been better.

1713.  Phil. Trans., XXVIII. 248. Our English Steel-Waters at Tunbridge.

a. 1734.  North, Exam., III. ix. § 7 (1740), 653. Let the Author reflect upon the Need he hath of such a Steel Course as this.

1818.  S. F. Gray, Suppl. Pharmacop., 308. Steel lozenges.

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Steel-wine, sherry wine in which steel filings have been placed for some time.

1865.  Morn. Star, 23 June. A box of steel pills.

1900.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., V. 620. Cod-liver oil and steel wine are useful in the later stages.

  13.  Of or belonging to steel as a product or an article of commerce, as steel mine, trade, works.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, VII. lvi. I. 188. The discoverie of the yron and steele mines.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. V. vi. From their new dungeons at Chantilly, Aristocrats may hear the rustle of our new steel furnace there.

1842.  Penny Cycl., XXIII. 2/2. The usual operation in large steel-works is first to cut the bar-iron into certain lengths.

1869.  Rankine, Machine & Hand-tools, Pl. E 1. The Plate represents the steel plant at the Langley Mill Steel and Iron Works.

1890.  W. J. Gordon, Foundry, 111. Let us cross to the steel-sheds again.

1905.  F. Harrison, Chatham, vi. 106. The toilers in those mines and steel-yards [of Pittsburg].

  14.  = engraved on steel.

1884.  Athenæum, 19 July, 83. The volume will contain a steel portrait of the author.

  15.  With the sense ‘resembling steel’ (in color, hardness, etc.), as steel gloss; steel-bright adj.; esp. with names of color, as steel-black, -blue, -gray, -green adjs. and sbs.

1560.  Phaër, Æneid, X. (1562), G g j. Wher neuer cessing soyle doth steelebright stuff send out from mines.

1817.  Stephens, in Shaw’s Gen. Zool., X. I. 88. Steel-blue Swallow. Ibid., 93. Top of the head … shining steel-black. Ibid., 97. Upper parts of the plumage black, with a steel gloss.

1833.  Jardine, Humming-Birds, 146. On the throat is a patch of the clearest violet-blue, shading off to steel-blue on the sides.

1842.  Parnell, Chem. Anal. (1845), 273. A steel-gray crust of metallic arsenic.

1882.  Crookes, Dyeing & Tissue-Printing, 197. Dark Steel Greens on Half Woollens.

1899.  A. H. Evans, Birds, 548. Manucodia atra is steel-green and black.

  b.  fig. = as hard as steel, steely.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., cxxxiii. 9. Prison my heart in thy steele bosomes warde.

1602.  Chettle, Hoffman, V. (1631), I 3. My heart is steele Nor can it suffer more then it doth feele.

a. 1618.  E. Bolton, Hypercritica, ii. § 3. This steel Rule whosoever honestly follows may perhaps write incommodiously for some momentany Purposes, but [etc.].

1847.  Tennyson, Princess, VI. 215. Not one word? not one? Whence drew you this steel temper?

1899.  Bridges, Septuagesima, ii. Poems (1912), 340. Steel is the ice.

  16.  Objective, with agent-nouns, as steel-maker, -worker; with vbl. sbs, and ppl. adjs., as steel-making, -using.

1624.  Quarles, Job Milit., xviii. 53. That Steele-digesting Bird.

1815.  J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, I. 4. The steel-making process.

1839.  Ure, Dict. Arts, 1171. G, is the door by which the steel-maker enters.

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Steel-roller, the cylinder of a mill for rolling out steel into sheets.

1881.  Nature, XXIII. 568. The commotion among steel-users caused by the total failure of the steel plates.

1884.  Pall Mall Gaz., 8 Jan., 9/1. A Glasgow telegram states that 2,000 steelworkers … refused to resume work to-day.

1903.  Daily Chron., 17 March, 9/2. An elderly retired steel smelter.

  17.  Instrumental and parasynthetic, as steel-bound, -clad, -girt, -graven, -lined, -shod; steel-colo(u)red, -hilted, -pointed, -tempered, -topped, etc.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 284. vij stele-grauyn stanys.

1591.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vi. 324. Whose thorny sides are hedged round about With stiff steel-pointed quills.

1596.  Drayton, Mortimer., 39. In steele-bound locks he safely lodg’d the Guard. Ibid. (1597), Heroic. Ep., Brandon to Q. Mary, 143. His steele-tempered blade.

1642.  H. More, Song of Soul, III. iii. 45. Steel-coloured clouds with rattling thunder knocks.

1682.  N. O., Boileau’s Lutrin, IV. 183. Come, Girot! Come, my trusty steel-edg’d friend.

1687.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2202/4. A little Steel Hilted French Sword.

1751.  Warton, Poems (1777), 61. Our steel-clad steeds.

1805.  Scott, Last Minstrel, II. ix. A steel-clenched postern door.

1875.  J. W. Benson, Time & Time-Tellers (1902), 40. The watch being only silver gilt, and steel-faced, was considered to be of little value.

1900.  Elworthy, Horns of Honour, ii. 124. We have seen pictures by so-called ‘old masters’ of the doctors in the temple disputing with our Lord, and wearing very modern-looking, steel-framed spectacles.

  18.  Special comb.: steel bar slang, a needle; † steel beetle, some American beetle; † steel-browed a., shameless; steel engraving, the art engraving upon a steel plate; a print or impression from such a plate; similarly steel-engraved a., -engraver; steel fall local, [FALL sb.²] = steel trap; steel finch (see quot.); steel grain, a granular texture like that of steel; steel-grained a., having a steel grain; steel-hardened a., case-hardened (in quot. fig.); steel iron, (a) a native iron resembling steel; (b) iron suitable for converting into steel; (c) (see quot. 1883); steel lustre, a composition used for ornamenting pottery; steel marl: see MARL sb.¹ 1 b; steel master, a manufacturer of steel; † steel-nose, app. a slang name for some kind of strong drink; † steel-ore, (a) an ore of lead with a ‘steel-grain’; (b) siderite or native ferrous carbonate; † steel saddle, ? a saddle with a steel frame; steel trap, a trap with jaws and spring of steel; † steel wasp (see quot.).

1785.  Grose, Dict. Vulg. T., *Steel bar, a needle; a steel bar flinger, a taylor, staymaker, or any other person, using a needle.

c. 1711.  Petiver, Gazophyl., VIII. lxxi. Small Carolina *Steel-Beetle with a yellow girdled Back and Neck.

1600.  O. E. [? M. Sutcliffe], Repl. Libel, I. iv. 91. If he had not beene both *steelebrowed, and beetilbrowed, yea and beetilheaded, he woulde neuer haue beene so bolde.

1823.  J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 136. *Steel Engraved Bank Note Plates.

1842.  Penny Cycl., XXIII. 6/2. The early *steel engravers.

1824.  Encycl. Brit., Suppl. VI. 547/2, marg. *Steel-Engraving.

1842.  Penny Cycl., XXIII. 6/1. The application of steel engraving to matters of fine art.

1879.  (title) The Works of Sir Edwin Landseer, R.A. Illustrated by forty-four steel engravings and about two hundred woodcuts.

1895.  P. H. Emerson, Birds, etc. Norf. Broadland, 290. The iniquitous *‘steel-fall’ or common steel rat-trap.

1869–73.  T. R. Jones, Cassell’s Bk. Birds, I. 163. The *Steel Finch (Hypochera ultramarina) frequents the banks of the Nile.

a. 1728.  Woodward, Fossils (1729), I. 21. [Lead-]Ore of the finest *Steel-Grain. Ibid. *Steel-grain’d Lead-Ore.

1841.  Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl., IV. 262/2. Steel-grained cast-iron, or crude steel.

1834.  Medwin, Angler in Wales, II. 255. His muscles were *steel-hardened by service.

1839.  Ure, Dict. Arts, 681. Native *steel-iron. This substance has all the characters of cast-steel.

c. 1840.  Mushet, in Greener’s Gunnery (1858), 150. We humbly feel our dependence on two foreign markets for the supply of that steel-iron, without which the beauty, the utility, and extent of our hardware manufactures would be essentially injured and abridged. Ibid. (1840), Papers Iron and Steel, 751. Steel iron and steel have since been manufactured to some extent near Ulverston.

1883.  R. H. Richards, in Science, I. 46/1. M. Keil has succeeded in producing a welded metal which is stated to possess the characters of both iron and steel…. This so-called steel-iron is said to have been prepared in five ways: [etc.].

1829.  S. Shaw, Staffordsh. Potteries, x. 227. The *Steel Lustre employs oxide of Platinum.

1885.  Daily Tel., 28 Sept. (Cassell). Iron-masters, *steel-masters, iron-consumers.

1901.  Daily News, 22 Jan., 10/5. A leading Staffordshire steel master and blast furnace owner.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 459. They can tell you whose Pudding hath Sewet in it, and whose not; who drinks Rot-gut, and who *Steele-nose.

1661.  Boyle, Ess. Unsuccessf. Exper., i. (1668), 52. Lead … so like Steel and so unlike common Lead-Oar, that the workmen upon that account are pleased to call it *Steel-Oar.

1789.  J. Williams, Min. Kingd., I. 410. Steel ore, or steel grained lead ore.

1796.  Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), II. 192. Calcareous, or Sparty Iron Ore … affords … the best Steel…. Hence it is generally called Steel Ore.

1503.  Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 205. Ane haknay sadill, and ane *steil sadill.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 129. Certane horssis plesand and fayr with steil sadles.

1735.  Somerville, Chase, III. Argt. The *Steel-Trap described, and the Manner of using it.

1775.  [see SPRING-GUN 1].

1827.  Hone’s Every-day Bk., II. 906. The stranger … is in jeopardy of falling into the … fangs of a steel-trap.

c. 1711.  Petiver, Gazophyl., VI. lviii. Shining Cape *Steel Wasp…. The Wings shine like polisht Steel.