Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Steel \Steel\ (st[=e]l), n. [AS. st[=e]l, st[=y]l, st[=y]le; akin to D. staal, G. stahl, OHG. stahal, Icel. st[=a]l, Dan. staal, Sw. st[*a]l, Old Prussian stakla.]
(Metal) 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.
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An instrument or implement made of steel; as:
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A weapon, as a sword, dagger, etc. ``Brave Macbeth . . . with his brandished steel.''
--Shak.While doubting thus he stood, Received the steel bathed in his brother's blood.
--Dryden. An instrument of steel (usually a round rod) for sharpening knives.
A piece of steel for striking sparks from flint.
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Fig.: Anything of extreme hardness; that which is characterized by sternness or rigor. ``Heads of steel.''
--Johnson. ``Manhood's heart of steel.''
--Byron.-
(Med.) A chalybeate medicine. --Dunglison. Note: Steel is often used in the formation of compounds, generally of obvious meaning; as, steel-clad, steel-girt, steel-hearted, steel-plated, steel-pointed, etc. Bessemer steel (Metal.) See in the Vocabulary. Blister steel. (Metal.) See under Blister. Cast steel (Metal.), a fine variety of steel, originally made by smelting blister or cementation steel; hence, ordinarily, steel of any process of production when remelted and cast. Chrome steel, Chromium steel (Metal.), a hard, tenacious variety containing a little chromium, and somewhat resembling tungsten steel. Mild steel (Metal.), a kind of steel having a lower proportion of carbon than ordinary steel, rendering it softer and more malleable. Puddled steel (Metal.), a variety of steel produced from cast iron by the puddling process. Steel duck (Zo["o]l.), the goosander, or merganser. [Prov. Eng.] Steel mill.
(Firearms) See Wheel lock, under Wheel.
A mill which has steel grinding surfaces.
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A mill where steel is manufactured.
Steel trap, a trap for catching wild animals. It consists of two iron jaws, which close by means of a powerful steel spring when the animal disturbs the catch, or tongue, by which they are kept open.
Steel wine, wine, usually sherry, in which steel filings have been placed for a considerable time, -- used as a medicine.
Tincture of steel (Med.), an alcoholic solution of the chloride of iron.
Tungsten steel (Metal.), a variety of steel containing a small amount of tungsten, and noted for its tenacity and hardness, as well as for its malleability and tempering qualities. It is also noted for its magnetic properties.
WordNet
n. a factory where steel is made [syn: steelworks, steel plant, steel factory]
Wikipedia
Steel Mill was an early Bruce Springsteen band. Other members of the band included three future members of the E Street Band - Vini Lopez, Danny Federici and Steve Van Zandt. As well as playing on the Jersey Shore, Steel Mill also played regularly in Richmond, Virginia and played gigs in California and a festival in Nashville, Tennessee. They opened for acts such as Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Grand Funk Railroad, Roy Orbison, Ike & Tina Turner and Black Sabbath. Since 2004 Vini Lopez has led Steel Mill Retro which has performed and recorded original Springsteen songs from the Steel Mill era.
Steel Mill is the only full-length studio album recorded by the American grunge band Willard.
Usage examples of "steel mill".
He'd worked at the steel mill as a foreman his last ten years on the job, and there were more than a few in the union who said he was the best they'd ever known.
In spite of its twentieth-century industry-the steel mill from which gray smoke and white steam plumed up in the distance, the busy rail yards-Yontsdown looked and felt medieval.
He'd spent months out of work after the steel mill let him go, and he was one of the lucky ones.
Production scheduling for something as big as a steel mill was a nightmare, even for this miniaturized antique….
I'm glad Father sold the steel mill at least, though I'll bet he's not.
They took him through an electronic parts factory, a fully automated steel mill, and a nuclear fusion plant, so that he could see how efficiently a propertarian economy ran its manufacturing and power supply.