1. n. An artificial metal produced from iron, harder and more elastic than elemental iron; used figuratively as a symbol of hardness.
2. n. Any item made of this metal, particularly including:
3. n. Bladed or pointed weapons, as swords, javelins, daggers.
4. n. A piece used for striking sparks from flint.
5. n. Armor.
6. n. A honing steel, a tool used to sharpen or hone metal blades.
7. n. (sewing) Pieces used to strengthen, support, or expand an item of clothing.
8. n. (dialectal) A flat iron.
9. n. (sewing, dialectal) A sewing needle; a knitting needle; a sharp metal stylus.
10. n. (printing) An engraving plate:
11. n. Projectiles.
12. n. (sewing) A fringe of beads or decoration of this metal.
13. n. (music, guitar) A type of slide used while playing the steel guitar.
14. n. (medicine, obsolete) Medicinal consumption of this metal; chalybeate medicine; (eventually) any iron or iron-treated water consumed as a medical treatment.
15. n. Varieties of this metal.
16. n. (colors) The gray hue of this metal; steel-gray, or steel blue.
17. n. (figurative) Extreme hardness or resilience.
18. adj. Made of steel.
19. adj. Similar to steel in color, strength, or the like; steely.
20. adj. (business) Of or belonging to the manufacture or trade in steel.
21. adj. (medicine, obsolete) Containing steel.
22. adj. (printing) Engraved on steel.
23. v. To edge, cover, or point with steel.
24. v. To harden or strengthen; to nerve or make obdurate; to fortify against.
25. v. (transitive, obsolete, of mirrors) To back with steel.
26. v. (transitive, medicine, obsolete) To treat a liquid with steel for medicinal purposes.
27. v. (transitive, dialectal) To press with a flat iron.
28. v. (transitive, uncommon) To cause to resemble steel in appearance.
29. v. To steelify; to turn iron into steel.
30. v. To electroplate an item, particularly an engraving plate, with a layer of iron.
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