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oil-hardened steel

oil-hardened steel

6.3
A type of steel cooled quickly in oil so it becomes very hard and does not wear away easily
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : acero endurecido con aceite
  • The knife is made of oil-hardened steel.

Examples

  • After heating, the blade was transformed into oil-hardened steel through a careful quenching process.

  • Many modern tools make use of oil-hardened steel due to its resistance to wear and deformation.

  • The manufacturer recommends oil-hardened steel for applications requiring exceptional strength and durability.

  • Many tools are crafted from oil-hardened steels.

  • Many modern tools are constructed from oil-hardened steel because it offers excellent resistance to wear and deformation.

  • The blacksmith uses oil-hardened steel to ensure that his blades can withstand heavy use without losing their edge.

  • For outdoor equipment, oil-hardened steel is preferred due to its ability to maintain toughness and durability under harsh conditions.

Synonyms

quenched steel
vsoil-hardened steel
  • Specialized
6.9

Steel that people quickly cool in water or oil to make it hard

is specifically cooled in oil rather than other liquids to harden

How Hard

hot-work steel
  • Specialized
6.5
oil-hardened steel
  • Specialized
6.3
case-hardened steel
  • Specialized
6.7
soft-cast steel
  • Specialized
5.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

oil-hardened + steel

The noun phrase is transparently compositional: it denotes steel that has been hardened by oil, combining 'oil' with 'hardened' (the past-participle adjective of 'harden'). Although the term is somewhat technical, the modifier–noun pattern and meanings of the constituents allow a B1 learner who knows the words to infer the overall meaning.

Etymology

The compound noun oil-hardened steel comes from a simple metal-making process: hot steel is cooled quickly in oil, which makes the metal hard. So, oil-hardened steel means steel that has been 'hardened' by oil to give extra strength for tools and blades.