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

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

# steely

«steely» in Mova's school dictionary: **Made of steel, or grey and shiny like steel** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (steely, steelier, steeliest)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Made of steel, or grey and shiny like steel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#m1)

2) Hard, strong and determined; not showing soft feelings: «a steely stare», «steely determination». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In stories, steely eyes or a steely voice show that a character is tough, cold or very determined — like a strict teacher or a hero who will not give up. In art and description, «steely grey» is a cold blue-grey colour of sky or sea.

### examples

- She gave him a steely look and he stopped talking. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#x1)
- The sky was a steely grey before the storm. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#x2)
- With steely determination, she finished the race. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#x3)
- The captain spoke in a steely voice. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#x4)
- Badger had a steely glint in his eye before the battle. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#x5)
- The sea looked steely and cold. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#x6)
- “Cecco,” he said in his most steely voice, “go back and fetch me out that doodle-doo.” [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/steely/#x7)

### note

Comparisons steelier, steeliest. Steely is usually about people's looks, voices and wills, or about colour.

### In the corpora

- [It is cold and still under a hard steely sky.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood/5/)

### Trees and pragmatics

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