mettlen.adj.
/ˈmɛtl/, U.S. /ˈmɛdl/ A. n.
1. A person's character, disposition, or temperament; the ‘stuff’ of which one is made, regarded as an indication of one's character.Now chiefly in to show one's mettle at Phrases 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > disposition or character > [noun] > qualities, stuff
conditionsc1374
allaya1456
mettle?1520
stuff1557
alloy1594
wood1594
intrinsical1655
cast1711
calibre1808
timber1906
?1520 Hendred's Pylgrymage of Man Kynd i. l. 11 First oure father Adam by grete expresmencion. Of slyme de terra was create and made Whiche Ioyned the Ioyntes of his corpus in one Not lyght of metall but heuy and sad.
a1538 A. Abell Roit or Quheill of Tyme f. 84, in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue at Met(t)al(l Wirginite is a geme at ay it schenis brychtest in maist precius mettell that is in thaim at is heest in dignite.
a1555 H. Latimer 27 Serm. (1562) ii. f. 34v What? (say they) they be made of such metall as we be made of.
a1556 N. Udall Ralph Roister Doister (?1566) ii. iii. sig. C.iiij I can not skill of such chaungeable mettle. There is nothing with them but in docke out nettle.
1584 J. Lyly Alexander, Campaspe, & Diogenes iv. i. sig. D4 Swearing commeth of a hot mettle.
1608 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. (new ed.) ii. iv. 110 If thou their metall by that touchstone try, Which fearefull-sounding from thy mouth doth flie.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) iii. iv. 265 I am one, that had rather go with sir Priest, then sir knight: I care not who knowes so much of my mettle . View more context for this quotation
1642 D. Rogers Naaman 19 To try the spirit of men, of what mettle they are made of.
1681 J. Dryden Absalom & Achitophel 10 Too full of Angells Metal in his Frame.
1721 T. D'Urfey Two Queens Brentford iv. i. 49 She's jealous, you must know, and will now give ye an opportunity to see her mettle.
a1725 J. Swift in Drapier's Lett. (1941) 125 We alledged..the baseness of his metal.
1751 E. Haywood Hist. Betsy Thoughtless II. iv. 44 A young fellow of his mettle should be willing to exchange the hopes of a mitre for a truncheon.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth iii, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 87 Thou ken'st not the mettle that women are made of.
1871 ‘G. Eliot’ Middlemarch (1872) I. viii. 116 Every man would not ring so well as that, if you tried his metal.
1888 C. M. Doughty Trav. Arabia Deserta I. 279 Strenuous solitary men, whose unquiet mettle moves them from slothing in the tent's shadow to prowl as the wolf in the wilderness.
1895 Harper's Weekly Feb. 340/2 It seems to me that there was lighter metal in the crews.
1918 W. Cather My Ántonia ii. ix. 229 They mistook the mettle of their sons.
1933 H. Allen Anthony Adverse II. vi. xlv. 678 When he had reeled back from the foot of the cross he had stumbled into time again. But his metal had been changed.
a1951 J. Cheever in Oxf. Bk. Short Stories (1981) 477 We think we know each other's mettle intimately. I think he is prudent; he thinks I am foolish.
1990 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Nov. 156/3 Men judge one another's mettle by the cut of their crisp white dish dashas.
2. † b. Semen, seminal fluid. Also: virility, sexual vigour. Cf. spunk n. 5c. Obsolete.
a. A person's spirit; courage, strength of character; vigour, spiritedness, vivacity.In some cases not easily distinguishable from sense A. 1.Quot. 1598 is sometimes regarded as an example of A. 2b
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > spirit > [noun]
hearteOE
spirita1382
fierceness1490
stomach?1529
spritec1540
fire1579
mettle1581
rage1590
brave-spiritednessa1617
lion-heart1667
game1747
spunk1773
pluck1785
gameness1810
ginger1836
pluckiness1846
gimp1901
ticker1930
cojones1932
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > mental or moral vigour
spirita1382
spritec1540
fire edgea1572
mettle1581
vigour1587
springa1682
peppiness1921
Schwung1930
1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) iii. 149 It dulleth their wittes, and represseth their natural vigour, in such sorte, that there is no mettall left in them.
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. v. 12 A Corinthian, a lad of metall [1623 mettle] . View more context for this quotation
1604 T. Dekker & T. Middleton Honest Whore i. i. 78 If the Duke had but so much mettle in him, as is in a coblers awle.
1656 R. Vines Treat. Inst. Lords-Supper xxviii. 331 When Jacob had seen the sweet vision in Bethel..it put mettle into him.
1681 R. Knox Hist. Relation Ceylon 134 The Metal and Manfulness of these men.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Mettle, Vigour, Fire, Life, Sprightliness, Briskness; as the Mettle of Youth.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) at Valiant Bold and daring in Fight, full of Metal and Courage.
1719 Free-thinker No. 103. 2 I like the Lady's Wit and Mettle.
1779 Mirror 13 Apr. He took in succession the degrees of a wag, a pickle, and a lad of mettle.
1813 R. Wilson Diary 5 Nov. (1861) II. 213 This scene shows Buonaparte to be a man of mettle.
1878 H. James Watch & Ward iv. 81 Fenton bent his mettle to simulate a pathetic incapacity.
1928 D. H. Lawrence Lady Chatterley's Lover vi. 76 Her mettle was roused, she would not be defeated.
1986 J. Huxley Leaves of Tulip Tree (1987) iii. 70 But I feared obscurely that I had not the mettle to cope with this whirlwind.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > [noun] > sexual potency or vigour
ability?1473
Lusty Juventus1582
virility1598
mettle1612
manhood1640
potency1739
potence1875
lead in one's pencil1941
the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > reproductive substances or cells > [noun] > sperm > semen
seedOE
naturec1390
semena1398
kindc1400
semence1480
mettle1612
egg-fry1674
ammunition1695
spunkc1890
jism1899
scum1967
1612 N. Field Woman a Weather-cocke i. i. sig. C3v What a sinne were it in me.., to marrie a man that wantes the mettall of Generation; since that is the blessing ordain'de for Marriage, procreation the onely end of it.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry V (1623) iii. v. 29 Our Madames mock at vs, and plainely say, Our Mettell is bred out, and they will giue Their bodyes to the Lust of English Youth. View more context for this quotation
1630 T. Dekker Second Pt. Honest Whore sig. Bv Lets try what mettle is in his new Bride, if there be none, we'll put in some.
a1726 J. Vanbrugh Journey to London (1728) ii. i. 29 He that will list himself a Lady's Man of Mettle now, she'll work him so at Cards and Dice, she won't afford him time enough to play with her at any thing else.
1785 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue Mettle, the semen; to fetch mettle, the act of self pollution.
1839 A. B. Alcott Jrnl. 31 Mar. (1938) 121 Fluids form solids. Mettle is the Godhead proceeding into the matrix of Nature to organize Man. Behold the creative jet!
1896 J. S. Farmer & W. E. Henley Slang IV. 306/1 Mettle, the semen.
3. In an animal, esp. a horse: liveliness, eagerness, friskiness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > temperament > [noun] > spirited horse > spirit
pridec1330
mettle1598
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 iv. iii. 22 Your Vncle Worcesters horses came but to day, And now their pride and mettall is a sleepe.
1655 I. Walton Compl. Angler (ed. 2) i. 11 Her [sc. a falcon's] mettle makes her carelesse of danger.
1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 323 The taking away of the excess of Metal, which Stone-Horses are guilty of.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 102 As for the Females,..Take down their Mettle, keep 'em lean and bare. View more context for this quotation
1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 7 The winged Courser, like a gen'rous Horse, Shows most true Mettle when you check his Course.
1798 M. Wollstonecraft Maria i. viii. 179 A colt of mettle will curvet and shew his paces.
1867 J. Martineau Ess., Rev., & Addr. II. 394 They have..horses of best descent and mettle.
1990 G. H. Morris Hunter Seat Equitation (ed. 3) xi. 177 Cutting the grain and keeping the horse off hard feed works wonders with temperments of high mettle.
(attributive). Spirited, feisty; lively, eager, willing. Also: brave, courageous. In later use Scottish and English regional (northern). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > spirit > [adjective]
braga1350
animose?a1425
heartlya1450
stomachous1547
bold-spirited1597
mettled1599
mettle1606
animous1609
stomachful1610
stomachious1611
brave-spiriteda1617
mettlesome1673
game1752
spunky1786
spunk1788
gamelike1804
good-woolled1846
plucked1846
bold-hearted1847
gamey1849
gameful1853
gutsy1893
feisty1896
gutty1953
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adjective] > lively and energetic
doing1591
mettled1599
spiritful1599
spirited1601
mettle1606
free-spirited1613
high-mettleda1626
spright1658
racy1671
mettlesome1673
dashing1796
peppery1829
spunky1831
fizzy1855
zippy1903
the mind > emotion > excitement > excitability of temperament > spiritedness or liveliness > [adjective]
jollyc1325
kedgec1440
fledge?1461
frisky?a1500
sprightya1522
frisk1528
sprightful1550
quick-spirited1552
lively1567
quick-sprighted1579
alive-like1582
aleger1590
firking1594
sprightly1594
sportive1595
mettled1599
alives-like1601
spirited1601
spirituous1601
mettle1606
great-stomached1607
free-spirited1613
spirity1615
spiritous1628
vivacious1645
rattlingc1650
sportful1650
airy1654
animated1660
racy1671
mettlesome1673
sparklinga1704
raffing?1719
bob1721
vivace1721
alive1748
lifey1793
spunky1831
gilpie1835
bubbling1860
chippy1865
bubblesome1879
colourful1882
sparky1883
bubbly1912
jazzy1917
spritzy1973
sparkly1979
kicking1983
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > temperament > [adjective] > spirited or skittish
skeyc1440
skittish?1510
skeigh1513
fiery?1561
gay1590
sprightful1598
frampold1600
mettleablec1600
mettle1606
fire-snort1608
mettleda1627
spiritly1630
spiritful1644
mettlesome1655
skeighish1827
flighty1828
slashing1862
fly-about1889
buckish1911
snuffy1955
1606 No-body & Some-body sig. A4v Arch. Is not this Lasse a pretty Neat browne Wench? Sicoph. She is my liege, and mettell I dare warrant.
a1645 D. Featley in T. Fuller Abel Redevivus (1651) 487 Where mettle Colts or restie jades are to be broken.
1681 T. Otway Souldiers Fortune i. i. 7 A hard brawny Carle—true and trusty, and mettle I'll warrant him.
1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian vii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. III. 170 Thou wouldst be a mettle lass enow, an thou wert snog and snod a bit better.
1886 R. L. Stevenson Kidnapped xxviii. 286 As he went by upon a mettle horse.
1894 S. R. Crockett Raiders xxxiii. 276 Ye'll ken Laird Heron o' the Rathan, Jen—a mettle spark.
1896 F. M. T. Palsgrave List Words & Phrases Hetton-le-Hole (at cited word) He's ower sharp mettle.
Phrases
P1. to try (also test) a person's mettle and variants: to test the spirit, character, or skill of a person or animal. Cf. to put (a person) on his mettle at Phrases 5.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > try or test [verb (transitive)] > test (a person) > his endurance or resistance
to try (also test) a person's mettle1581
to put (also set) (a person) on (or upon, to, up to) his (or her) mettle1733
1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xxxvi. 139 Till the blacke oxe tread vpon his toes, and neede make him trie what mettle he is made of.
1665 C. Cotton Scarronnides 62 If naughty boy do thrust a nettle Under her Dock, to try her mettle, Does rise and plunge,..Enough to break her riders neck.
1729 J. Gay Polly ii. v. 34 After that, young gentleman, I shall try your mettle.
1794 Har'st Rig ii. 5 Let nane tyne heart, nor hand refrain, But try their mettle.
1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward I. xiv. 273 He would try their mettle, for the honour of Gascony.
1851 N. Hawthorne House of Seven Gables xii. 196 The many tests that had tried his metal.
1882 J. A. Froude in Longman's Mag. Dec. 210 Romsdal's Horn..will try the mettle of the Alpine Club when they have conquered Switzerland.
1957 J. Thurber Alarms & Diversions (1962) 346 [It] lifts the pallid pastime of Ghosts out of the realm of children's parties..and makes it a game to test the mettle of the mature adult mind.
1993 W. P. Kinsella Dixon Cornbelt League (1994) 45 Some..hot-shot handball player who wanted to test his mettle against a real athlete would badmouth me.
P2. to show one's mettle and variants: to demonstrate one's true nature; esp. to show spirit or courage.
ΚΠ
a1625 J. Fletcher Monsieur Thomas (1639) iii. ii. sig. G3v When did he ride abroad since he came over? What Tavern has he us'd to? What things done That shewes a man, and mettle?]
1642 D. Rogers Naaman To Rdr. sig. Bv Then she shewes the metall she is made of.
1696 T. Southerne Oroonoko Prol. Tis not enough to have a Horse well bred, To shew his Mettle, he must be well fed.
1766 A. Nicol Poems Several Subj. 118 His kyte was so cram'd with his victual, At present he could not well show him his mettle.
1854 W. E. Aytoun Firmilian iii. 44 Now you have shown your mettle, I regard you More than I did before.
1897 Gen. H. Porter in Cent. Mag. June 206 It showed the mettle of which he was made.
1955 G. Gorer Exploring Eng. Char. ii. 13 A proper man was mettlesome, and he showed his mettle by the readiness with which he responded to, or provoked, a fight.
1988 Coarse Fishing Handbk. June–July 27/2 He soon showed his metal.
1996 E. Lovelace Salt ii. 18 The very men who knew there was no profit to them in doing more than a day's work felt the need at least to show their own mettle.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > encouragement > encourage or embolden [verb (transitive)]
hearteOE
bieldc897
hardenc1175
elnea1225
hardyc1225
boldc1275
hardishc1325
endurec1384
assurec1386
emboldc1400
recomfortc1405
enharda1450
support1479
enhardy1483
animatec1487
encourage1490
emboldishc1503
hearten1524
bolden1526
spright1531
raise1533
accourage1534
enheart1545
to hearten on1555
hearten?1556
alacriate1560
bespirit1574
bebrave1576
to put in heart1579
to hearten up1580
embolden1583
bravea1593
enhearten1610
inspiritc1610
rehearten1611
blood1622
mana1625
valiant1628
flush1633
firm1639
buoy1645
embrave1648
reinhearten1652
reanimate1655
reinspirit1660
to give mettle to1689
warm1697
to lift (up) a person's spirits1711
reman1715
to make a man of1722
respirit1725
elate1726
to cocker up1762
enharden1779
nerve1799
boost1815
brace1816
high-mettle1831
braven1865
brazen1884
1689 A. B. Acct. Revol. New-Eng. in Andros Tracts (1869) II. 191 Our Conscience was that which gave metal to our Patience.
P4. to be on (also upon) one's mettle: to be motivated or inspired to do one's best.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > exert oneself or make an effort [verb (intransitive)] > do one's utmost > be incited to
to be on (also upon) one's mettle1726
1726 G. Odingsells Capricious Lovers iv. ii. 43 Hark! that's the Colonel's Bluster. He's upon his Mettle, as they say.
1756 A. Mitchell Let. 3 June in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. IV. 374 I think it hardly possible he can escape, as every body here are upon their mettle.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby ii. 6 Street bands are on their mettle in Golden Square.
1887 Times 9 Apr. 5/5 They would have to contend against cavalry, who would be upon their mettle to show their superiority over the cyclists.
1970 J. Glassco Mem. Montparnasse xi. 98 As this was Saturday night in the height of the tourist season they [sc. the girls in Montmartre] were on their mettle.
1986 P. Craig Elizabeth Bowen iii. 56 The atmosphere—learning tempered with sociability—kept her on her mettle.
P5. to put (also set) (a person) on (or upon, to, up to) his (or her) mettle: to test a person's powers of endurance, resistance, or resourcefulness. Cf. to try a person's mettle at Phrases 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > try or test [verb (transitive)] > test (a person) > his endurance or resistance
to try (also test) a person's mettle1581
to put (also set) (a person) on (or upon, to, up to) his (or her) mettle1733
1733 Portland Papers VI. (Hist. MSS Comm.) 47 In such a manner as has put the gentlemen pretty much upon their mettle.
1797 T. Holcroft Adventures Hugh Trevor VI. iv. 63 The horse of Olivia had previously been put upon his mettle.
1806 M. L. Weems Life G. Washington (ed. 5) i. 4 Even the common passions..will put him up to his metal, and call forth his best and bravest doings.
1859 C. J. Lever Davenport Dunn xiii. 14 It puts us on our mettle, too, to see our old enemies the French taking the work with us.
1883 Cent. Mag. Nov. 66/1 She felt herself put upon her metal as his agent.
1895 J. C. Snaith Dorothy Marvin xlii His..sarcasm set me on my mettle.
1900 W. Baird Gen. Wauchope iii. 44 The soldiers were put to their mettle.
1910 J. Addams Twenty Years at Hull-House xviii. 437 The teacher..is constantly put upon his mettle to discover methods of instruction which will make knowledge quickly available to his pupils.
1988 M. Charney Hamlet's Fictions ii. vii. 97 Claudius is put on his mettle to offer attractive conditions he has no intention of fulfilling.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of being intimidating > intimidate or bully [verb (transitive)] > daunt (a person's) courage
cowardc1300
anarrowc1400
accowardize1480
accoward1481
daunton1535
quail1548
daunt1569
quay1590
disheart1603
dishearten1606
cravena1616
break1619
unsoula1634
unnerve1638
cowardize1648
daff1673
to put (a person) off his (also her) mettle1745
becoward1831
1745 J. Swift Direct. to Servants 1 When you have done a Fault,..behave your self as if you were the injured Person; this will immediately put your Master or Lady off their Mettle.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.?1520