anneal

IPA/əˈniːl/
KK[ənˈil]IPA/əˈniːl/

anneal — verb

  • annealpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • annealshe / she / it
  • annealedpast simple
  • annealing-ing form

1. to make metal, glass, or another solid easier to bend or shape by warming it and

1.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to make metal, glass, or another solid easier to bend or shape by warming it and letting it lose heat little by little afterward.

Example

Mateo annealed the silver ring before bending it into a wider band.

anneal + metal object before shaping

At the studio, Jiwoo annealed the glass bottle to stop it cracking.

anneal + glass object

Common collocations
  • anneal steel
  • anneal glass
  • annealed wire
  • annealing step
Synonyms
  • heat-treat

    broader term for changing a material through controlled heating and cooling

  • soften

    describes the result, but not the specific technical process

Antonyms
  • harden

    make a material stiffer or less easy to bend

Grammar Patterns

anneal + metal/glass/material

be annealed before + next manufacturing step

Usage Note

Object is usually a material such as steel, copper, or glass. Often appears in passive descriptions of workshop or factory steps.

Common Mistakes

The jeweller annealed the silver until it became liquid.
The jeweller annealed the silver to soften it before shaping it.
anneal means controlled heating and slow cooling, not melting a material.

Etymology

First known use

1664

1664, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a