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Glite Dictionary
to steel oneself for

to steel oneself for

3 7.5
To prepare yourself mentally for something difficult or unpleasant
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : prepararse para
  • The family had already steeled themselves for the worst.
  • steeled myself for disappointment
  • steeled herself for the onslaught
  • steeled herself for the meeting

Examples

  • All the time I'm steeling myself for what I've got to say to my bosses.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • I headed into work on the bus, steeling myself for another day of reconnaissance in the glass-and-steel jungle.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The staff began steeling themselves for a long siege.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • All right, I've been steeling myself for this one.

    Blog text (16)

  • Early in 1567, he privately abandoned the attempt at compromise and steeled himself for the coming conflict.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Last night, saying good night to him, she had steeled herself for a dam-burst of tears and lamentations.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Mandy looked uncertain, and Silas steeled himself for whatever she was about to say.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Rebecca steeled herself for the outstretched hand, the face set in angry pleading.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • I sighed and drove the wagon over the high bridge into the city, steeling myself for immersion in the filth.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Lily took a second to steel herself for the next question.

Synonyms

to prepare for
vsto steel oneself for
487 2.8

To make yourself ready in your mind for something unpleasant or difficult

is used specifically for difficult or unpleasant upcoming situations
to brace oneself for
vsto steel oneself for
40 6.5

Get ready for something bad or difficult that you expect to happen

is not restricted to expected events and covers any upcoming challenge
to steel
vsto steel oneself for
12 7.0

To make yourself ready to face something difficult

is neutral mental or emotional preparation without emphasised bravery
to steel oneself
vsto steel oneself for
7 7.6

To prepare yourself to face something unpleasant or difficult

is the idiomatic form often used with a following purpose phrase
to psyche
vsto steel oneself for
  • Informal
4 6.8

To get ready mentally for a difficult task

focuses only on personal mental readiness rather than getting others ready
to nerve
vsto steel oneself for
1 6.6

To make yourself ready to do something difficult

is more about general mental readiness than about summoned courage
to steel oneself against
vsto steel oneself for
1 7.4

Get ready in your mind to face something unpleasant

is broader, applying to mental readiness rather than active resistance

How Prepared

to gird
  • Formal
7 9.2
to steel oneself for
3 7.5
to prepare for
487 2.8

Surface Forms

steel oneself for infinitive
steeling oneself for present participle
steels oneself for third person singular
steeled oneself for past
steeled oneself for past participle

Morphology

steel + oneself + for

The core verb 'steel' here is metaphorical (make hard/strong), so a learner who knows 'steel' as the metal can plausibly infer 'harden oneself' and thus guess the meaning 'prepare oneself', but this requires making a figurative mapping. 'Oneself' and 'for' are transparent, yet the conventionalized phrase meaning 'mentally prepare for something difficult' is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without exposure, so the item is semi-transparent.

Etymology

The verb steel oneself for comes from the simple image of making oneself as hard as steel, like metal that does not bend, so you will not break under pressure. So it means 'to prepare yourself' in your mind for something difficult.