[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/steel.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / steel

[← S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/S/)

# steel

«steel» in Mova's school dictionary: **A very strong, hard metal made mostly from iron mixed…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (steel — uncountable; steels for kinds); adjective (steel, as in a steel bridge); verb (steel yourself)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A very strong, hard metal made mostly from iron mixed with a little carbon, used for bridges, cars, tools, pans and cutlery. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#m1)

2) As a verb, to steel yourself means to make yourself brave and ready for something hard or scary. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In science, steel is a material made by people from iron; it is strong and stiff, and most steel is magnetic, so a magnet sticks to steel. Stainless steel does not rust easily, which is why it is used for sinks and spoons; ordinary steel rusts when wet. In everyday life we see steel in buildings, bikes, tins and nails. In stories, "nerves of steel" means very brave and calm. Phrases: "stainless steel", "steel drum", "nerves of steel", "steel yourself".

### examples

- The bridge is made of steel and concrete. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x1)
- Our kitchen sink is stainless steel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x2)
- A magnet sticks to the steel door of the fridge. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x3)
- Steel is made mostly from iron. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x4)
- The old steel gate was covered in rust. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x5)
- She steeled herself before jumping into the cold pool. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x6)
- The band played music on steel drums. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x7)
- Knives and forks are often made of steel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/#x8)

### note

Uncountable as a material: "some steel", not "a steel". Homophone trap: "steel" (metal) and "steal" (take without permission) sound the same. Steel is not an element; it is an alloy (a mix) of iron and carbon. Not all metals are magnetic — steel and iron usually are, but aluminium and copper are not. Stainless steel resists rust, but it is not completely rust-proof.

### In the corpora

- [The steel pan was developed in Trinidad and Tobago in the 20th century from oil drums and is its national instrument.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/10-instruments-of-the-world-bandura-erhu-sitar-kora-didgeridoo/14/)
- [For its weight, some spider silk is stronger than steel and very stretchy, which is why scientists study it so closely.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/244-animal-builders-spiders-webs-and-silk/4/)
- [A magnet pulls out iron and steel things but not sand; aluminium cans are not picked up by a magnet.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/8-separating-mixtures/9/)
- [Rust forms when iron or steel joins with oxygen and water; it is a new substance, so rusting is a chemical change.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/13-rust-irons-slow-fire/9/)
- [Paint stops rust until it is scratched; galvanised steel has a zinc coat that protects the iron even at a scratch.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives/7/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «steel» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steel/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.