Metals

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met·al

(mĕt′l)

1. Any of a category of electropositive elements that usually have a shiny surface, are generally good conductors of heat and electricity, and can be melted or fused, hammered into thin sheets, or drawn into wires. Typical metals form salts with nonmetals, basic oxides with oxygen, and alloys with one another.

2. An alloy of two or more metallic elements.

3. An object made of metal.

4. Basic character; mettle.

5. Broken stones used for road surfaces or railroad beds.

6. Molten glass, especially when used in glassmaking.

7. Molten cast iron.

8. Printing Type made of metal.

9. Music Heavy metal.

tr.v. met·aled, met·al·ing, met·als also met·alled or met·al·ling

To cover or surface (a roadbed, for example) with broken stones.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin metallum, from Greek metallon, mine, ore, metal.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Metals

docimasy, docimacy

the branch of metallurgy involved in the assaying of ores or metals. See also greece and greeks.

metallography

the study of metals and their structures and properties by the use of microscopy and x rays.

metallotherapy

treatment of disease and illness with metals, particularly with the salt forms of metals.

metallurgy

the science of preparing metals for use by separating them from their ores and refining them, as by smelting. — metallurgist, n. — metallurgie, metallurgical, adj.

radiometallography

the study of metals and their structures by the use of x rays

siderotechny

Rare. the metallurgy of iron and steel.

References in classic literature ?

Also, the substance of it was metal, though unlike any metal, or combination of metals, he had ever known.

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But they had no other clothing except their hairy skins, although many wore gold and silver bangles on their front wrists and bands of different metals on their rear ankles.

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It was during this dance that the ape-man first noticed that some of the men and many of the women wore ornaments of gold--principally anklets and armlets of great weight, apparently beaten out of the solid metal. When he expressed a wish to examine one of these, the owner removed it from her person and insisted, through the medium of signs, that Tarzan accept it as a gift.

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Had not the rifle of the leader of the party swung from its fastenings beside his saddle in such a way as to strike against the butt of his great metal shod spear I should have snuffed out without ever knowing that death was near me.

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"I struck metal, that time, and it nearly broke my beak."

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But luckily the dull radiation arrested him before he could burn his hands on the still-glowing metal. At that he stood irresolute for a moment, then turned, scrambled out of the pit, and set off running wildly into Woking.

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On the discussion being renewed, "Gentlemen," said Barbicane, "we must now take into consideration the metal to be employed.

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The visitor slipped a plain metal armlet from above his elbow, and pointing to an inscription upon its inner surface, whispered a word or two to the clerk.

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What was there in common between that pile of dirty metal and the beautiful, sparkling pebbles that had formerly been in his pouch?

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On the contrary, the room was of dazzling brilliance and beauty, for it was lined throughout with an exquisite metal that resembled translucent frosted silver.

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The writers of universal histories and of the history of culture are like people who, recognizing the defects of paper money, decide to substitute for it money made of metal that has not the specific gravity of gold.

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There remained nothing more to be done but to enclose our heads in the metal box.