METALING
METAL
Met"al ( or ; 277), n. Etym: [F. métal, L. metallum metal, mine, Gr.
Mettle, Medal.]
1. (Chem.)
Definition: An elementary substance, as sodium, calcium, or copper, whose
oxide or hydroxide has basic rather than acid properties, as
contrasted with the nonmetals, or metalloids. No sharp line can be
drawn between the metals and nonmetals, and certain elements partake
of both acid and basic qualities, as chromium, manganese, bismuth,
etc.
Note: Popularly, the name is applied to certain hard, fusible metals,
as gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead, zinc, nickel, etc., and
also to the mixed metals, or metallic alloys, as brass, bronze,
steel, bell metal, etc.
2. Ore from which a metal is derived; -- so called by miners.
Raymond.
3. A mine from which ores are taken. [Obs.]
Slaves . . . and persons condemned to metals. Jer. Taylor.
4. The substance of which anything is made; material; hence,
constitutional disposition; character; temper.
Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Shak.
5. Courage; spirit; mettle. See Mettle. Shak.
Note: The allusion is to the temper of the metal of a sword blade.
Skeat.
6. The broken stone used in macadamizing roads and ballasting
railroads.
7. The effective power or caliber of guns carried by a vessel of war.
8. Glass in a state of fusion. Knight.
9. pl.
Definition: The rails of a railroad. [Eng.] Base metal (Chem.), any one of
the metals, as iron, lead, etc., which are readily tarnished or
oxidized, in contrast with the noble metals. In general, a metal of
small value, as compared with gold or silver.
– Fusible metal (Metal.), a very fusible alloy, usually consisting
of bismuth with lead, tin, or cadmium.
– Heavy metals (Chem.), the metallic elements not included in the
groups of the alkalies, alkaline earths, or the earths; specifically,
the heavy metals, as gold, mercury, platinum, lead, silver, etc.
– Light metals (Chem.), the metallic elements of the alkali and
alkaline earth groups, as sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, etc.;
also, sometimes, the metals of the earths, as aluminium.
– Muntz metal, an alloy for sheathing and other purposes,
consisting of about sixty per cent of copper, and forty of zinc.
Sometimes a little lead is added. It is named from the inventor.
– Prince's metal (Old Chem.), an alloy resembling brass, consisting
of three parts of copper to one of zinc; -- also called Prince
Rupert's metal.
Met"al, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metaled ( or ) or Metalled; p. pr. & vb.
n. Metaling or Metalling.]
Definition: To cover with metal; as, to metal a ship's bottom; to metal a
road.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition