Metalworking Terminology

verb to polish or make shiny by rubbing; to improve or enhance the appearance of something

• The silversmith used a special cloth to burnish the silver to a high shine.
• I'm going to burnish my shoes before the party tonight.
• I need to burnish up my resume before applying for that job.
• The successful CEO knew how to burnish her public image through strategic PR efforts.

verb to cut or carve a design or inscription into a surface

adjective having a design or inscription cut or carved into a surface

• The intricate design was etched into the marble with great precision.
• He etched his initials into the tree trunk to mark his territory.
• She etched her ex's name into the bathroom stall out of spite.
• The memory of her laughter was etched into his mind forever.

noun the action or sound of grinding

verb to perform the action of reducing something to small particles or powder by crushing it with force

adjective describing the act of grinding, or having a harsh, grating sound

• The grinding of the gears in the machine indicates a need for maintenance.
• I hate grinding through all this paperwork, it's so boring.
• I've been grinding at the gym to get ready for summer.
• She's been grinding through her studies to achieve her academic goals.

noun the products or creations made from metal

• The metalworks company specializes in creating custom steel structures for industrial buildings.
• I heard the metalworks shop down the street can make some really cool iron sculptures.
• Let's check out that new metalworks joint, I heard they have some sick metal art pieces.
• His mind was like a finely tuned metalworks, crafting intricate thoughts with precision.

noun a gray alloy of tin with copper and antimony that is used for making utensils and other items

• The artisan crafted a beautiful pewter vase using traditional techniques.
• I found a cool pewter necklace at the flea market.
• That pewter mug is totally rad!
• Her voice had a pewter quality to it, cold and metallic.

noun a pointed projecting part, typically a long, narrow, and projecting part of a tool or weapon

• The prong on the fork is used for picking up food.
• Be careful with that prong, you might poke someone.
• I accidentally pronged myself on the cactus.
• The new policy has many different prongs to address various issues.

noun a reddish-brown color resembling that of iron oxide

adjective having a reddish-brown color resembling that of iron oxide; affected by rust

• The old pipes were covered in a layer of rusty corrosion.
• I found a rusty old bike in the garage that I want to fix up.
• His jump shot is so rusty, he needs to practice more.
• After years of neglect, her skills had become rusty and needed to be sharpened.

noun A person who works with metal, especially a blacksmith or a silversmith.

• The skilled smith crafted a beautiful iron gate for the entrance.
• I heard the local smith is really good at fixing old tools.
• My buddy is a total metal smith - he can make anything out of scrap metal.
• She was a wordsmith, able to craft elegant prose with ease.

verb past tense of tarnish; to make or become less valuable or respected

adjective having a dull or discolored appearance; stained or spoiled

• The reputation of the company was tarnished after the scandal.
• Her once shiny jewelry now looks tarnished.
• The gossip tarnished her image in school.
• The memories of that day were tarnished by the tragic event.

verb to use a tool or tools to work on or shape something

adjective equipped with tools or machinery for a specific purpose

• The craftsman tooled the leather with precision and skill.
• I tooled around in the garage, trying to fix my bike.
• He's always tooled up with the latest gadgets.
• She tooled her way through the difficult task, showing determination and perseverance.

noun a joining together of two or more pieces of metal by melting and fusing them together

verb to join together by heating and melting the edges, usually with the addition of a filler metal

• The skilled welder used a precise technique to weld the metal pieces together.
• I'm going to weld these two pipes together to fix the leak.
• I heard he can weld like nobody's business.
• The bond between them was so strong, it was as if their souls were welded together.

noun a dull gray alloy of lead and tin used to coat iron or steel to prevent rusting

• The terne coating on the roof helps to protect it from corrosion.
• I love the look of terne roofs, they have a unique charm.
• Let's go check out that terne roof, it's so cool!
• His heart was like a terne surface, tarnished but still strong underneath.

noun a small hand tool used for turning nuts and bolts

• The construction worker used a podger to tighten the bolts on the steel beams.
• Hey, can you pass me that podger so I can fix this shelf?
• I always keep a trusty podger in my toolbox for quick fixes.
• She used humor as a podger to ease the tension in the room.

verb to sharpen again

• It is important to regularly resharpen your kitchen knives to maintain their cutting edge.
• I need to resharpen my pencil before I can finish this homework.
• I'll just quickly resharpen my skills before the big game.
• She decided to take a break and resharpen her focus before tackling the difficult task.

noun a slap or smack, especially on the buttocks

verb to slap or smack, especially on the buttocks

• The blacksmith used a skelp of steel to forge the new horseshoe.
• I accidentally skelped my finger while hammering the nails.
• He got a skelp on the head for making a rude comment.
• The unexpected news skelped her like a slap in the face.