metal
/'metl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A solid material that is typically hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, and ductile, with good electrical and thermal conductivity: "Metal" refers to a category of chemical elements, such as iron, gold, or copper, or an alloy (mixture) of such elements.
- Broken stone used for road surfaces or railway ballast: "Metal" can also refer to crushed rock used in construction, especially for roads or railroad beds.
- (plural, metals) Railway tracks: The term "metals" can refer to the rails of a railway line.
Verb:
- To cover or fit with metal: The action of applying a metal layer or component to something.
- To surface (a road) with broken stone: The action of covering a road with crushed rock.
Adjective:
- Made of or resembling metal; having the characteristics of a metal: Describing something that contains metal or has properties like a metal, such as a shiny appearance or a resonant sound.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Material):
- Copper is a highly conductive metal.
- The bridge is constructed from steel and other metals.
- Noun (Road material):
- The road crew spread fresh metal on the country lane.
- Verb:
- They decided to metal the old wooden gate to strengthen it.
- The council plans to metal the dirt track next year.
- Adjective:
- The box had a cold, metal surface.
- She heard a sharp, metallic clang.
Advanced Usage
- "Leave/turn off the metals": (idiomatic, from rail transport) To derail; for a train to come off the rails.
- The freight train left the metals during the storm.
- Metallic character/property: Used in chemistry to describe the degree to which an element exhibits typical metal-like properties.
- Sodium exhibits strong metallic character.
Variants and Related Words
- Metallic (adj): Having the properties of, resembling, or containing metal.
- A metallic taste.
- Metallurgy (n): The science and technology of metals.
- He studied metallurgy in college.
- Nonmetal (n): A chemical element lacking metallic properties.
- Oxygen is a nonmetal.
Synonyms
- Alloy (n): A mixture of metals.
- Ore (n): A naturally occurring solid material from which a metal can be extracted.
- Element (n): (In the chemical sense) A substance like iron or gold.
Related Phrases
- Base metal: A common and inexpensive metal (e.g., lead, zinc) as opposed to a precious metal.
- The statue was made of a base metal and then plated with gold.
- Precious metal: A rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value (e.g., gold, silver).
- Investing in precious metals.
- Heavy metal: A type of loud, powerful rock music; also, a dense metallic element with high atomic weight.
- He listens to heavy metal. / Lead is a toxic heavy metal.
Idioms
- Run/rush off the metals: To derail (literally or figuratively).
- The project ran off the metals after the budget was cut.
- Metal to the pedal: A variant of "pedal to the metal," meaning to proceed at maximum speed or effort.
- It's the final week, so it's metal to the pedal to finish on time.
Adjective
- containing or made of or resembling or characteristic of a metal
- a metallic compound
- metallic luster
- the strange metallic note of the meadow lark, suggesting the clash of vibrant blades- Ambrose Bierce
Noun
- a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten
- brass is an alloy of zinc and copper
- any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.
Verb
- cover with metal