(a) A modified form of iron artificially produced, steel; ~ graven, steel-engraved; bristled mid ~, with bristles made of steel; -- used in fig. context; (b) a piece of steel; grinden the ~, fig. to make one's position secure; (c) steel as a commodity; (d) fig. steel as an exemplification of firmness, trustworthiness, etc.; herte (made) of ~, a hard heart, an unrelenting heart; also, a stout heart [quot. a1420, 1st]; herte o ~, a mighty heart; love of ~, enduring love; tonge (made) of ~, an indefatigable tongue; (e) gaddes of ~, her. pictorial representations of steel ingots on a coat of arms; (f) in comparisons, chiefly prov.: also (as) treu as ~, as treu as was ~, etc.; hard as (was) ~, stedfast also (as) ~, stif as ~, strong as (so) ~, treu also (as, so) ~, trust also (as) ~, etc.; harder (seurer, etc.) than ~; herte as ~; lik ~; trusten til..as to the ~.

(a) A steel implement or instrument used to cleave or break diamond, marble, etc.; (b) a steel stylus or chisel for inscribing on stone; (c) a piece of steel used to strike fire from flint; (d) coll. steel bands used to strengthen a door; also, steel hardware for a portcullis; (e) coll. steel fetters or chains.

(a) A weapon or part of a weapon made of steel; a blade, sword, etc.; coll. weaponry, arms; ne (nouther) iren ne ~, no weapon whatsoever; (b) steel armor; protective trappings of steel for a horse or camel; armen in (iren and) ~; closen (helen, warden) in iren and ~.

In surnames and place names.