*metal*

. Any one of the univalent metals of group I of the periodic table of the elements, including lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium. The hydroxides of these metals are soluble in water and form strongly basic solutions. [ PJC. ]

[ From the inventor, Isaac Babbitt of Massachusetts. ] A soft white alloy of variable composition (as a nine parts of tin to one of copper, or of fifty parts of tin to five of antimony and one of copper) used in bearings to diminish friction. [ 1913 Webster ]

A hard alloy or bronze, consisting usually of about three parts of copper to one of tin; -- used for making bells. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bell metal ore, a sulphide of tin, copper, and iron; the mineral stannite. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a material made by bonding together sheets of two different metals. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Pref. bi- + metallic: cf. F. bimétallique. ] 1. Of or relating to, or using, a double metallic standard (as gold and silver) for a system of coins or currency. [ archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Composed of two different metals; formed of two parts, each of a different metal; as, bimetallic wire; bimetallic thermometer, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. bimétalisme. ] The legalized use of two metals (as gold and silver) in the currency of a country, at a fixed relative value; -- in opposition to monometallism. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The words bimétallisme and monométallisme are due to M. Cernuschi [ 1869 ]. Littré. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An advocate of bimetallism. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. of or pertaining to bimetallism.
Syn. -- bimetallic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

A variety of clay ironstone, in Staffordshire, England, used for making tools. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or art precipitating a metal electro-chemical action, by which a coating is deposited, on a prepared surface, as in electroplating and electrotyping; galvanoplasty. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to hydrometallurgy; involving the use of liquid reagents in the treatment or reduction of ores. -- Hy`dro*met`al*lur"gic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + metallurgy. ] The art or process of assaying or reducing ores by means of liquid reagents. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. An alloy of tin, copper, and mercury, sometimes used for the bearings and packings of machinery. McElrath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. métal, L. metallum metal, mine, Gr. &unr_; mine; cf. Gr. &unr_; to search after. Cf. Mettle, Medal. ] 1. (Chem.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Ore from which a metal is derived; -- so called by miners. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A mine from which ores are taken. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Slaves . . . and persons condemned to metals. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The substance of which anything is made; material; hence, constitutional disposition; character; temper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Courage; spirit; mettle. See Mettle. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The allusion is to the temper of the metal of a sword blade. Skeat. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. The broken stone used in macadamizing roads and ballasting railroads. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The effective power or caliber of guns carried by a vessel of war. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Glass in a state of fusion. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. pl. The rails of a railroad. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Metaled r Metalled; p. pr. & vb. n. Metaling or Metalling. ] To cover with metal; as, to metal a ship's bottom; to metal a road. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Metal + ammonium. ] (Chem.) A hypothetical radical derived from ammonium by the substitution of metallic atoms in place of hydrogen. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Any language that can be used to describe another language or system of symbols. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Pref. met- + albumin. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A form of albumin found in ascitic and certain serous fluids. It is sometimes regarded as a mixture of albumin and mucin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. met- + aldehyde. ] (Chem.) A white crystalline substance isomeric with, and obtained from, acetic aldehyde by polymerization, and reconvertible into the same. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Metalepses [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_; participation, alteration, fr. &unr_; to partake, to take in exchange; &unr_; beyond + &unr_; to take. ] (Rhet.) The continuation of a trope in one word through a succession of significations, or the union of two or more tropes of a different kind in one word. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) Exchange; replacement; substitution; metathesis. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; ] 1. Of or pertaining to a metalepsis. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Transverse; as, the metaleptic motion of a muscle. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, concerned in, or occurring by, metalepsy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Metaleptic. -- Met`a*lep"tic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. [ L. metallicus, fr. metallum: cf. F. métallique. See Metal. ] 1. Of or pertaining to a metal; of the nature of metal; resembling metal; as, a metallic appearance; a metallic alloy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or characterized by, the essential and implied properties of a metal, as contrasted with a nonmetal or metalloid; conductive of electricity; basic; forming positive ions in solution; antacid. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Metallic iron, iron in the state of the metal, as distinquished from its ores, as magnetic iron. --
Metallic paper, paper covered with a thin solution of lime, whiting, and size. When written upon with a pewter or brass pencil, the lines can hardly be effaced. --
Metallic tinking (Med.), a sound heard in the chest, when a cavity communicating with the air passages contains both air and liquid. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Metallic. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a metallic manner; by metallic means. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metallum metal + facere, factum, to make. ] The production and working or manufacture of metals. [ R. ] R. Park. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. metallifer; metallum metal + ferre to bear: cf. F. métallifère. ] Producing metals; yielding metals. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. metallum metal + -form: cf. F. métalliforme. ] Having the form or structure of a metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. métallin. ] (Chem.) (a) Pertaining to, or resembling, a metal; metallic; as, metalline properties. (b) Impregnated with metallic salts; chalybeate; as, metalline water. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A substance of variable composition, but resembling a soft, dark-colored metal, used in the bearings of machines for obviating friction, and as a substitute for lubricants. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A worker in metals, or one skilled in metals. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. métallisation. ] The act or process of metallizing. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Metallized p. pr. & vb. n. Metallizing ] [ Cf. F. métalliser. ] To impart metallic properties to; to impregnate with a metal. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Metallochromy. ] A coloring produced by the deposition of some metallic compound; specifically, the prismatic tints produced by depositing a film of peroxide of lead on polished steel by electricity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metallum metal + Gr. &unr_; color. ] The art or process of coloring metals. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metallum metal + -graph. ] A print made by metallography. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or by means of, metallography. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who writes on the subject of metals. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metallum metal + -graphy: cf. F. métallographie. ] 1. The science or art of metals and metal working; also, a treatise on metals. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A method of transferring impressions of the grain of wood to metallic surfaces by chemical action. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A substitute for lithography, in which metallic plates are used instead of stone. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metallum metal + -oid: cf. F. métalloïde. ] (a) Formerly, the metallic base of a fixed alkali, or alkaline earth; -- applied by Sir Humphrey Davy to sodium, potassium, and some other metallic substances whose metallic character was supposed to be not well defined. (b) Now, one of several elementary substances which in the free state are unlike metals, and whose compounds possess or produce acid, rather than basic, properties; a nonmetal; as, boron, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, chlorine, bromine, etc., are metalloids. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having the appearance of a metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) Having the properties of a nonmetal; nonmetallic; acid; negative. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Metalloid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metallum metal + Gr. &unr_; sound. ] (Music) (a) An instrument like a pianoforte, but having metal bars instead of strings. (b) An instrument like the xylophone, but having metallic instead of wooden bars. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Metalorganic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metallum metal + E. therapy. ] (Med.) Treatment of disease by applying metallic plates to the surface of the body. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. métallurgique. ] Of or pertaining to metallurgy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. métallurgiste. ] One who works in metals, or prepares them for use; one who is skilled in metallurgy. [ 1913 Webster ]