Gunmetal vs. Steel

Gunmetalnoun

(historical) A type of bronze used for making cannons.

Steelnoun

An artificial metal produced from iron, harder and more elastic than elemental iron; used figuratively as a symbol of hardness.

Gunmetalnoun

An alloy of 88% copper, 10% tin and 2% zinc, originally used for making guns.

Steelnoun

(countable) Any item made of this metal, particularly including:

Gunmetalnoun

A dark grey or bluish-grey colour; gunmetal grey.

Steelnoun

Bladed or pointed weapons, as swords, javelins, daggers.

Gunmetalnoun

a type of bronze used for parts subject to wear or corrosion (especially corrosion by sea water)

Steelnoun

A piece used for striking sparks from flint.

Gunmetalnoun

a grey corrosion-resistant form of bronze containing zinc.

Steelnoun

Armor.

Gunmetalnoun

a dull bluish-grey colour

‘the river glinted under a gunmetal sky’;

Steelnoun

A honing steel, a tool used to sharpen or hone metal blades.

Gunmetal

Gun metal, also known as red brass in the United States, is a type of bronze; an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. Proportions vary but 88% copper, 8–10% tin, and 2–4% zinc is an approximation.

Steelnoun

(sewing) Pieces used to strengthen, support, or expand an item of clothing.

Steelnoun

(dialectal) A flat iron.

Steelnoun

A sewing needle; a knitting needle; a sharp metal stylus.

Steelnoun

(printing) An engraving plate:

Steelnoun

Projectiles.

Steelnoun

(sewing) A fringe of beads or decoration of this metal.

Steelnoun

A type of slide used while playing the steel guitar.

Steelnoun

Medicinal consumption of this metal; chalybeate medicine; (eventually) any iron or iron-treated water consumed as a medical treatment.

Steelnoun

(countable) Varieties of this metal.

Steelnoun

The gray hue of this metal; steel-gray, or steel blue.

Steelnoun

(figurative) Extreme hardness or resilience.

Steeladjective

Made of steel.

Steeladjective

Similar to steel in color, strength, or the like; steely.

Steeladjective

(business) Of or belonging to the manufacture or trade in steel.

Steeladjective

Containing steel.

Steeladjective

(printing) Engraved on steel.

Steelverb

(transitive) To edge, cover, or point with steel.

Steelverb

(transitive) To harden or strengthen; to nerve or make obdurate; to fortify against.

Steelverb

To back with steel.

Steelverb

To treat a liquid with steel for medicinal purposes.

Steelverb

To press with a flat iron.

Steelverb

To cause to resemble steel in appearance.

Steelverb

(transitive) To steelify; to turn iron into steel.

Steelverb

(transitive) To electroplate an item, particularly an engraving plate, with a layer of iron.

Steelverb

(transitive) To sharpen with a honing steel.

Steelproper noun

Coldbath Fields Prison in London, closed in 1877.

Steelnoun

A variety of iron intermediate in composition and properties between wrought iron and cast iron (containing between one half of one per cent and one and a half per cent of carbon), and consisting of an alloy of iron with an iron carbide. Steel, unlike wrought iron, can be tempered, and retains magnetism. Its malleability decreases, and fusibility increases, with an increase in carbon.

Steelnoun

An instrument or implement made of steel

Steelnoun

A weapon, as a sword, dagger, etc.

‘While doubting thus he stood,Received the steel bathed in his brother's blood.’;

Steelnoun

Fig.: Anything of extreme hardness; that which is characterized by sternness or rigor.

Steelnoun

An instrument of steel (usually a round rod) for sharpening knives.

Steelnoun

A chalybeate medicine.

Steelnoun

A piece of steel for striking sparks from flint.

Steelverb

To overlay, point, or edge with steel; as, to steel a razor; to steel an ax.

Steelverb

To make hard or strong; hence, to make insensible or obdurate.

‘Lies well steeled with weighty arguments.’; ‘O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts.’; ‘Why will you fight against so sweet a passion,And steel your heart to such a world of charms?’;

Steelverb

To cause to resemble steel, as in smoothness, polish, or other qualities.

‘These waters, steeledBy breezeless air to smoothest polish.’;

Steelverb

To cover, as an electrotype plate, with a thin layer of iron by electrolysis. The iron thus deposited is very hard, like steel.

Steelnoun

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

Steelnoun

a cutting or thrusting weapon with a long blade

Steelnoun

knife sharpener consisting of a ridged steel rod

Steelverb

get ready for something difficult or unpleasant

Steelverb

cover, plate, or edge with steel

Steelnoun

a hard, strong grey or bluish-grey alloy of iron with carbon and usually other elements, used as a structural and fabricating material

‘steel girders’;

Steelnoun

used as a symbol or embodiment of strength and firmness

‘nerves of steel’; ‘a steel will’;

Steelnoun

a rod of roughened steel on which knives are sharpened.

Steelverb

mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult

‘his team were steeling themselves for disappointment’; ‘she steeled herself to remain calm’;

Steel

Steel is an alloy made up of iron with typically a few tenths of a percent of carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to iron. Many other elements may be present or added.