Meaning
1. Iron combined with a small portion of carbon; iron refined and hardened, used in making instruments, and particularly useful as the material of edged tools. It is called in chemistry, carburet of iron; but this is more usually the denomination of plumbago.
2. Figuratively, weapons; particularly, offensive weapons, swords, spears and the like.
Brave Macbeth with his brandishd steel.
-- While doubting thus he stood, receivd the steel bathd in this brothers blood.
3. Medicines composed of steel, as steel fillings.
After relaxing, steel strengthens the solids.
4. Extreme hardness; as heads or hearts of steel.
STEEL, a. Made of steel; as a steel plate or buckle.
STEEL, v.t.
1. To overlay, point or edge with steel; as, to steel the point of a sword; to steel a razor; to steel an ax.
2. To make hard or extremely hard.
O God of battles, steel my soldiers hearts.
Lies well steeld with weighty arguments.
3. To make hard; to make insensible or obdurate; as, to steel the heart against pity; to steel the mind or heart against reproof or admonition.
