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to metal

to metal

8.4
To cover a road with broken stones so vehicles can pass
  • verb
  • /ˈmɛtəl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : macadamizar
  • To improve access, they need to metal the driveway with gravel.

Examples

  • The workers will metal the road to ensure it is safe for cars to drive on.

  • The construction team plans to metal the path before the delivery trucks arrive.

  • Well, I am about to metal detect on our exit and then pop up on land.

Synonyms

to macadam
vsto metal
  • Archaic
9.9

To cover a road with layers of small broken stones pressed together

is a broader process using broken stone or hard material for road surfaces

Idioms

To drive or work as fast as possible, often to finish something

9.9

A rude, joking phrase to tell someone to go away

Compounds

A machine that makes a sound or shows a light when it finds metal

26 3.9

Loud rock music with distorted guitars and strong rhythms

A rare metal like gold or silver that has high value

18 2.8

Pieces of old metal that people throw away to be melted and reused

heavy metal
  • Specialized
11 4.8

A dense metal that is often poisonous, like lead or mercury

10 3.7

A group of musicians who play very loud rock music with electric guitars

sheet metal
  • Specialized
9 3.4

Thin, flat pieces of metal used to make or cover things

A type of loud, powerful rock with strong guitar sounds, fast drums, and angry lyrics

full metal jacket
  • Specialized
3 7.4

A bullet with a lead core covered in hard metal like copper that does not break on impact

base metal
  • Specialized
1 4.0

A common metal like iron or copper that is not as valuable as gold

1 6.8

A loud 1980s rock style with big hair, flashy clothes, and guitar solos

1 3.7

Made only of metal with no parts of any other material

alkaline metal
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A soft, very reactive metal like sodium or potassium that easily loses one electron

1 3.2

A large round metal container that holds liquids and dry goods for storage and transport

1 5.5

Small thin pieces of metal that come off when you scrape metal

metal mouth
  • Offensive
1 7.7

A person whose teeth have visible metal braces

1 3.5

A tool you hold in one hand for cutting metal like pipes

1 2.8

A small metal piece with a spiral thread that you turn to hold things together

noble metal
  • Specialized
1 6.4

A metal that does not get damaged by air or water, like gold and platinum

Metal made from old products so it can be used again

sheet-metal work
  • Specialized
1 4.9

The job of shaping and joining thin metal sheets to make building parts like vents

bearing metal
  • Specialized
7.6

A metal made by mixing metals that helps machine parts move smoothly

bell metal
  • Specialized
8.5

A hard metal made from copper and tin that is used to make bells

Silvery white metal people make from tin mixed with small amounts of other metals used for tableware and decorative items

cheoplastic metal
  • Specialized
9.9

A low-melting metal used to make artificial teeth

Admiralty Metal
  • Specialized
8.9

A brass alloy with tin that resists corrosion in seawater

alkali metal
  • Specialized
5.6

A soft metal that reacts strongly with water, like lithium, sodium, or potassium

alkaline-earth metal
  • Specialized
7.2

A metal like calcium or magnesium that makes substances that are not acidic

Babbitt metal
  • Specialized
9.6

A soft metal made from tin and small amounts of other metals used to line bearings to reduce friction

A type of heavy metal music that uses traditional folk instruments and melodies

liquid metal reactor
  • Specialized
8.1

A nuclear reactor that uses liquid metal to carry heat away

metal spinning lathe
  • Specialized
8.3

A machine that turns a metal piece fast while a tool shapes it

A golf club with a metal head used for long shots

Having a shiny color like silver or gold

metal-cutting
  • Specialized
4.8

Tools or machines that cut metal

Coins used to pay instead of paper notes

metal plating
  • Specialized
3.9

A thin metal layer on a surface for protection or decoration

An object that looks like metal because of its color or shine

misch metal
  • Specialized
9.9

A mix of metals used to make lighter flints because it catches fire easily when struck

monkey metal
  • Informal
9.2

A cheap metal mix used to make low-quality jewelry and toys

Monel metal
  • Specialized
7.9

A strong metal made from nickel and copper that does not rust easily in salt water

Monell metal
  • Specialized
9.0

A strong metal made from nickel and copper that resists corrosion and is used for machines and equipment

Muntz metal
  • Specialized
9.6

A strong metal made from copper and zinc used to make cast parts like boat fittings and bolts

fusible metal
  • Specialized
6.8

An alloy that melts at low heat used for soldering and in devices like sprinkler fuses

gilding metal
  • Specialized
8.2

A type of brass with more copper used for items that need a reddish gold look

grid metal
  • Specialized
9.3

A hard metal made from lead and a little antimony that forms the grids inside storage batteries

A period in the 1980s when loud rock bands had big hair and bright clothes

7.7

Small broken stones that people use to make or fix roads

pot metal
  • Specialized
7.9

Cheap mix of metals used to make low-cost items like pots

shot metal
  • Specialized
9.5

A soft metal mixture mostly made of lead used to make small pellets for shotgun shells

type metal
  • Archaic
8.4

A mix of three metals like lead and tin that printers use to make letters for printing

white metal
  • Specialized
7.0

A silvery metal made from tin or lead used for bearings and moving machine parts

Wood's metal
  • Specialized
9.2

A soft mixture of metals that melts at a low temperature near 71 degrees Celsius

yellow metal
  • Specialized
7.8

A strong metal made from copper with extra zinc used for cast parts

Surface Forms

metal infinitive
metaled past
metaled past participle
metaling present participle
metals third person singular

Etymology

A helpful way to remember the verb metal (to metal a road) is to think of giving the road a hard, durable surface like metal or broken stone. The word grew from the idea of covering a road with strong material, so to metal a road means to cover it with hard stone so vehicles can use it.