Metal, Mettle

Few people have a metalled frame of mind, and their mettle is almost inimitable. Metal is the hard organic substance; a chemical element that is solid, conducts heat or electricity, used in making things such as sheets and frames. Metal is a solid material that is hard, shiny, malleable and fusible and ductile such as iron, gold, silver, tin, gold, uranium, aluminium, alloys such as steel (iron and carbon).

Metals are malleable meaning they can be shaped into a shape of one’s requirement by pressing or hammering, and the unique characteristic of metals is that they are not breakable, and do not yield to cracks. The most common metals used are iron, aluminium, copper, titanium and zinc (known for its anti-corrosive property).

The broken stones, or small pieces of stones, used in laying or making or mending the roads is also called metal. Metal roads are the crying need in certain parts of the country. Metal as a verb refers to something made from or coated with metal, and mending or making a road with metal that is pieces of stones.

Some elements in the Periodic Table are grouped as metals because they have common characteristics such as they conduct electricity and heat, can be shaped into one’s requirement, shiny appearance and have high melting point. The study of metals is called metallurgy.

Because of the usage of metals in our daily lives, the word metal forms several compound words: metal detector, metal glove, metal halide lamp (produces high-efficacy white light), metal money (coins, the medium of monetary transactions before paper money and paperless money (debit cards and credit cards), metal master (a sheet in offset printing that carries ink to the rubber printing form).

Mettle is the strength of spirit. Mettle means courage, spirit, energy, bravery, fortitude. Mettle is the ability to continue to do something despite challenges, despite difficulties. When someone has the metal it means he or she has the courage. If you have the metal it means you have the heart, you have the nerve, you have the trait to achieve it or complete it or accomplish it; courageousness, brevity, heroism, valour,

Mettled is an adjective: mettled guy is the one having high spirits, ardent in doing things. Mettlesome is an adjective meaning having a proud or unbroken spirit, someone willing to face danger rather than running away; and mettlesomeoness is a noun (high-spiritedness) Medal is the flat disk stamped with a design, and given to people who had won in a competitions and usually made of metals (gold, too).

BY: Kovuuri G Reddy