Anneal - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Anneal means to heat and then slowly cool a material, especially metal or glass, to strengthen it and reduce brittleness. It is also used metaphorically for improving processes or ideas.
Definition:
To heat and then cool metal or glass to remove internal stresses and toughen it.
Synonyms:
temper, harden, strengthen
Part of Speech:
verb
Antonyms:
weaken, soften
Common Collocations:
anneal steel, anneal glass, annealing process
Derivatives:
annealing, annealed
Usage Tips:
Use "anneal" for processes involving heating and cooling materials to alter their properties, especially in metallurgy or glasswork.
Common Phrases:
anneal the metal, annealing furnace, annealed glass
Etymology:
From Old English *onǣlan*, meaning "to set on fire," derived from *ǣlan* (to burn).
Examples:
- 1. The blacksmith will anneal the sword to make it stronger.
- 2. Glassmakers often anneal their creations to prevent cracking.
- 3. The annealing process improves the metal's durability and flexibility.
- 4. She learned how to anneal copper in her workshop class.