Steel vs. Copper — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Steel and Copper
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Compare with Definitions
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.
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity.
Steel
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
Copper
Symbol Cu A ductile, malleable, reddish-brown metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and is widely used for electrical wiring, water piping, and corrosion-resistant parts, either pure or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.546; melting point 1,085°C; boiling point 2,562°C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2. See Periodic Table.
Steel
Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult
His team were steeling themselves for disappointment
She steeled herself to remain calm
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Copper
A coin, usually of small denomination, made of copper or a copper alloy.
Steel
A generally hard, strong, durable, malleable alloy of iron and carbon, usually containing between 0.2 and 1.5 percent carbon, often with other constituents such as manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, copper, tungsten, cobalt, or silicon, depending on the desired alloy properties, and widely used as a structural material.
Copper
Chiefly British A large cooking pot made of copper or often of iron.
Steel
Something, such as a sword, that is made of steel.
Copper
Any of various small butterflies of the subfamily Lycaeninae, having predominantly copper-colored wings.
Steel
A quality suggestive of this alloy, especially a hard, unflinching character.
Copper
A reddish brown.
Steel
Steel gray.
Copper
A police officer.
Steel
Made with, relating to, or consisting of steel
Steel beams.
The steel industry.
A bicycle with a steel frame.
Copper
To coat or finish with a layer of copper.
Steel
Very firm or strong
A steel grip.
Copper
(Slang) To bet against, as in faro.
Steel
Of a steel gray.
Copper
(uncountable) A reddish-brown, malleable, ductile metallic element with high electrical and thermal conductivity, symbol Cu, and atomic number 29.
Steel
To cover, plate, edge, or point with steel.
Copper
The reddish-brown colour/color of copper.
Steel
To make hard, strong, or obdurate; strengthen
He steeled himself for disappointment.
Copper
Any of various specialized items that are made of copper, where the use of copper is either traditional or vital to the function of the item.
Steel
An artificial metal produced from iron, harder and more elastic than elemental iron; used figuratively as a symbol of hardness.
Copper
(countable) A copper coin, typically of a small denomination, such as a penny.
Steel
(countable) Any item made of this metal, particularly including:
Copper
A large pot, often used for heating water or washing clothes over a fire. In Australasia at least, it could also be a fixed installation made of copper, with a fire underneath and its own chimney. Generally made redundant by the advent of the washing machine.
Mum would heat the water in a copper in the kitchen and transfer it to the tin bath.
I explain that socks can’t be boiled up in the copper with the sheets and towels or they shrink.
Steel
Bladed or pointed weapons, as swords, javelins, daggers.
Copper
(entomology) Any of various lycaenid butterflies with copper-coloured upperwings, especially those of the genera Lycaena and Paralucia.
Steel
A piece used for striking sparks from flint.
Copper
A police officer.
Steel
Armor.
Copper
Made of copper.
Steel
A honing steel, a tool used to sharpen or hone metal blades.
Copper
Having the reddish-brown colour/color of copper.
Steel
(sewing) Pieces used to strengthen, support, or expand an item of clothing.
Copper
To sheathe or coat with copper.
Steel
(dialectal) A flat iron.
Copper
A common metal of a reddish color, both ductile and malleable, and very tenacious. It is one of the best conductors of heat and electricity. Symbol Cu. Atomic weight 63.3. It is one of the most useful metals in itself, and also in its alloys, brass and bronze.
Steel
A sewing needle; a knitting needle; a sharp metal stylus.
Copper
A coin made of copper; a penny, cent, or other minor coin of copper.
My friends filled my pockets with coppers.
Steel
(printing) An engraving plate:
Copper
A vessel, especially a large boiler, made of copper.
Steel
Projectiles.
Copper
The boilers in the galley for cooking; as, a ship's coppers.
All in a hot and copper sky.
Steel
(sewing) A fringe of beads or decoration of this metal.
Copper
To cover or coat with copper; to sheathe with sheets of copper; as, to copper a ship.
Steel
A type of slide used while playing the steel guitar.
Copper
A ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor
Steel
Medicinal consumption of this metal; chalybeate medicine; (eventually) any iron or iron-treated water consumed as a medical treatment.
Copper
A copper penny
Steel
(countable) Varieties of this metal.
Copper
Uncomplimentary terms for a policeman
Steel
The gray hue of this metal; steel-gray, or steel blue.
Copper
A reddish brown the color of polished copper
Steel
(figurative) Extreme hardness or resilience.
Copper
Any of various small butterflies of the family Lycaenidae having copper colored wings
Steel
Made of steel.
Copper
Coat with a layer of copper
Steel
Similar to steel in color, strength, or the like; steely.
Steel
(business) Of or belonging to the manufacture or trade in steel.
Steel
Containing steel.
Steel
(printing) Engraved on steel.
Steel
(transitive) To edge, cover, or point with steel.
Steel
(transitive) To harden or strengthen; to nerve or make obdurate; to fortify against.
Steel
To back with steel.
Steel
To treat a liquid with steel for medicinal purposes.
Steel
To press with a flat iron.
Steel
To cause to resemble steel in appearance.
Steel
(transitive) To steelify; to turn iron into steel.
Steel
(transitive) To electroplate an item, particularly an engraving plate, with a layer of iron.
Steel
(transitive) To sharpen with a honing steel.
Steel
Coldbath Fields Prison in London, closed in 1877.
Steel
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.
Steel
An instrument or implement made of steel
Steel
A weapon, as a sword, dagger, etc.
While doubting thus he stood,Received the steel bathed in his brother's blood.
Steel
Fig.: Anything of extreme hardness; that which is characterized by sternness or rigor.
Steel
An instrument of steel (usually a round rod) for sharpening knives.
Steel
A chalybeate medicine.
Steel
A piece of steel for striking sparks from flint.
Steel
To overlay, point, or edge with steel; as, to steel a razor; to steel an ax.
Steel
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?
Steel
To cause to resemble steel, as in smoothness, polish, or other qualities.
These waters, steeledBy breezeless air to smoothest polish.
Steel
To cover, as an electrotype plate, with a thin layer of iron by electrolysis. The iron thus deposited is very hard, like steel.
Steel
An alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
Steel
A cutting or thrusting weapon with a long blade
Steel
Knife sharpener consisting of a ridged steel rod
Steel
Get ready for something difficult or unpleasant
Steel
Cover, plate, or edge with steel
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