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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.

anneal

/əˈniːl/ /əˈniːl/

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.

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