From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmetalmet‧al /ˈmetl/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable, uncountable] TIa hard, usually shiny substance such as iron, gold, or steel → metallic The gate is made of metal. a small black metal box They traded in gold and other precious metals (=valuable metals used especially for making jewellery). The old trucks were sold as scrap metal (=old metal that is melted and used again). → heavy metal
Examples from the Corpus
metal• metal pipes• metal, punk, and folk bands• An electric arc, or continuous spark, flows between a metal electrode and the steel.• A metal object was used to gouge a deep wound in the animal's forehead.• Jed took hold of the cold metal and knocked twice.• For many fans, metal, with its pile-driving sound and locker-room lyrics, is more than a rite of passage.• Teledyne, which has metals, consumer products, aerospace and other businesses is another spinoff possibility, according to Tuttle.• The frame is made of metal.• During their absence, contractors arrived to remove a quantity of rubbish and unfortunately took all the metal parts as well!• The metals are used in pigments that color vinyl.• The movement of trace-elements through the environment A large number of chemical reactions take place when trace metals move through the environment.scrap metal• Beyond, a glimpse of carnage - the pile-up on the southbound lane resembled a scrap metal yard.• Now they are to be scrapped and sold off as scrap metal.• Nonni was the daughter of a prosperous dealer in scrap metal who had also been a lay preacher.• This is the first time that plutonium, the most toxic substance in the world, has been discovered in scrap metal.• The borrowers were companies involved in scrap metal and disposal, and property.• Such was the value of scrap metal after World War Two.• Their owners never seem to tire of tossing scrap metal into the waters of their harbour home.• Myat found ships loaded with scrap metal in the port of Chongjin.Origin metal (1200-1300) Old French Latin metallum “mine, metal”, from Greek metallon 