Steel, stēl, n. iron combined in varying proportions with carbon for making edged tools: any instrument or weapon of steel: an instrument of steel for sharpening knives on: a strip of steel for stiffening a corset: a piece of steel for striking fire from a flint: extreme hardness: a chalybeate medicine.—adj. made of steel: hard, unfeeling.—v.t. to overlay or edge with steel: to harden: to make obdurate.—adj. Steel′-clad, clad with steel-mail.—ns. Steel′-engraving, the art of engraving pictures on steel plates from which impressions may be taken, the impression or print so taken; Steel′iness, state of being steely, great hardness; Steel′ing, the welding of a steel edge on a cutting instrument; Steel′-pen, a pen-nib made of steel; Steel′-plate, a plate of steel: a plate of polished steel on which a design is engraved, the print taken from such.—adj. Steel′-plāt′ed, plated with steel.—n.pl. Steel′-toys, small articles of steel as buttons, buckles, &c.—n. Steel′-ware, articles made of steel collectively.—adj. Steel′y, made of steel: steel-like. [A.S. stýle; Ger. stahl.]
Steelbow, stēl′bō, n. (Scots law) a term for goods, such as corn, cattle, straw, and implements of husbandry delivered by the landlord to his tenant, by means of which the latter is enabled to stock and labour the farm, and in consideration of which he becomes bound to return articles equal in quantity and quality at the expiration of the lease.
Steelyard, stēl′yärd, n. the Roman balance, an instrument for weighing, consisting of a lever with unequal arms, in using which a single weight or counterpoise is employed, being moved along a graduated beam. [Orig. the yard in London where steel was sold by German merchants.]
Steem, stēm (Spens.). Same as Esteem.
Steen. See Stean.
Steenbok, stān′bok, n. one of several small African antelopes. [Dut., steen, stone, bok, buck.]
Steenkirk, stēn′kerk, n. a lace cravat loosely worn, so named from the defeat of William III. by Luxembourg at Steenkerke, August 3, 1692.
Steep, stēp, adj. rising or descending with great inclination: precipitous: difficult, excessive, exorbitant.—n. a precipitous place: a precipice.—adj. Steep′-down (Shak.), deep and precipitous.—v.i. Steep′en, to become steep.—ns. Steep′iness, Steep′ness, the state or quality of being steep.—adv. Steep′ly.—adj. Steep′y, steep. [A.S. steáp; Ice. steypthr.]
Steep, stēp, v.t. to dip or soak in a liquid: to imbue.—n. something steeped or used in steeping: a fertilising liquid for seed: rennet.—n. Steep′er, a vessel in which articles are steeped. [Scand., Ice. steypa, to make to stoop, pour out, causal of stúpa, to stoop.]
Steeple, stēp′l, n. a tower of a church or building, ending in a point: the high head-dress of the 14th century.—adj. Steep′led, furnished with a steeple: adorned with, or as with, steeples or towers.—ns. Steep′le-hat, a high and narrow-crowned hat; Steep′le-house, an old Quaker name for the building in which believers meet for worship; Steep′lejack, one who climbs steeples and chimney-stalks to make repairs. [A.S. stýpel, stepel—steáp, steep.]