"mettle" meaning in English

See mettle in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈmɛtəl/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mettle.wav
Rhymes: -ɛtəl Etymology: From figurative use of metal (since 16th century). The two spellings were originally interchangeable variants, but came to be distinguished by sense in the 18th century. Head templates: {{en-adj|?}} mettle
  1. (Scotland) Spirited, vigorous, stout-hearted. Tags: Scotland
    Sense id: en-mettle-en-adj-HYx-yFo5 Categories (other): Scottish English, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Faroese translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Irish translations, Terms with Marathi translations, Terms with Plautdietsch translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Turkish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 64 24 4 9 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 81 12 2 5 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 69 14 10 7 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 83 8 6 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 64 14 7 15 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 65 16 6 13 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 66 14 9 11 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 74 17 3 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Faroese translations: 66 15 7 12 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 66 16 5 13 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 74 14 4 8 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 74 15 3 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 61 21 8 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Marathi translations: 71 13 7 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Plautdietsch translations: 88 5 3 4 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 66 15 7 11 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 81 12 3 5 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 80 14 2 4 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 67 14 7 12 Disambiguation of Terms with Turkish translations: 67 14 7 12

Noun

IPA: /ˈmɛtəl/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mettle.wav Forms: mettles [plural]
Rhymes: -ɛtəl Etymology: From figurative use of metal (since 16th century). The two spellings were originally interchangeable variants, but came to be distinguished by sense in the 18th century. Head templates: {{en-noun|-|s}} mettle (usually uncountable, plural mettles)
  1. A quality of courage and endurance. Tags: uncountable, usually Synonyms: heart, pith, spirit Translations (a quality of endurance and courage): معدن (Arabic), кураж (kuraž) [masculine] (Bulgarian), издръжливост (izdrǎžlivost) [feminine] (Bulgarian), tremp (Catalan), fermesa (Catalan), moed (Dutch), mót [neuter] (Faroese), treyst [neuter] (Faroese), áræði [neuter] (Faroese), ágrýtni [neuter] (Faroese), lujahermoisuus (Finnish), rohkeus (Finnish), prouesse [feminine] (French), Mut [masculine] (German), Eifer [masculine] (German), Enthusiasmus [masculine] (German), Stamina [feminine] (German), miotal [masculine] (Irish), धैर्य (dhairya) [neuter] (Marathi), Iewa [masculine] (Plautdietsch), firmeza [feminine] (Portuguese), пыл (pyl) [masculine] (Russian), рве́ние (rvénije) [neuter] (Russian), выно́сливость (vynóslivostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), mod (Swedish), kurage (Swedish), azim (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-mettle-en-noun-5cnejUwN Disambiguation of 'a quality of endurance and courage': 97 1 2
  2. Good temperament and character. Tags: uncountable, usually Translations (good temperament and character): характер (harakter) [masculine] (Bulgarian), темперамент (temperament) [masculine] (Bulgarian), fermesa (Catalan), temperament (Dutch), karakter (Dutch), sopuisuus (Finnish), Feurigkeit [feminine] (German), karaktär (Swedish), eldighet (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-mettle-en-noun-OLGQLdFp Disambiguation of 'good temperament and character': 2 97 1
  3. Obsolete spelling of metal (“metallic substance”). Tags: alt-of, obsolete, uncountable, usually Alternative form of: metal (extra: metallic substance)
    Sense id: en-mettle-en-noun-CeoCx9el
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: mettlesome, on one's mettle

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "mettlesome"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "on one's mettle"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From figurative use of metal (since 16th century). The two spellings were originally interchangeable variants, but came to be distinguished by sense in the 18th century.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "mettles",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "mettle (usually uncountable, plural mettles)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene viii], page 90, column 2:",
          "text": "By this Day and this Light, the fellow ha's mettell enough in his belly.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2001, Harry J. Alexandrowicz, Testing your Mettle: Tough Problems and Real-world Solutions for Middle and High School Teachers, page xiii:",
          "text": "Please read on and discover the issues in education that test the mettle of those who experience this world every day.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1919, Henry B[lake] Fuller, “Cope Goes A-Sailing”, in Bertram Cope’s Year: A Novel, Chicago, Ill.: Ralph Fletcher Seymour, The Alderbrink Press, →OCLC, page 154:",
          "text": "He was presently in as active circulation, on the campus and elsewhere, as ever. The few who looked after him at all came to the view that he possessed more mettle than stamina.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021 April 28, Tara Siegel Bernard, “Trading Stock Tips on TikTok, Newbies Are Deeply Invested in Learning”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Its possible that some traders will become less interested as their offline lives resume more fully, but their mettle may really be tested when the market runs into its next downturn.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A quality of courage and endurance."
      ],
      "id": "en-mettle-en-noun-5cnejUwN",
      "links": [
        [
          "quality",
          "quality#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "courage",
          "courage#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "endurance",
          "endurance"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "heart"
        },
        {
          "word": "pith"
        },
        {
          "word": "spirit"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "معدن"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "kuraž",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "кураж"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "izdrǎžlivost",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "издръжливост"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "tremp"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "fermesa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "moed"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "fo",
          "lang": "Faroese",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "mót"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "fo",
          "lang": "Faroese",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "treyst"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "fo",
          "lang": "Faroese",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "áræði"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "fo",
          "lang": "Faroese",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "ágrýtni"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "lujahermoisuus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "rohkeus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "prouesse"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Mut"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Eifer"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Enthusiasmus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Stamina"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "miotal"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "mr",
          "lang": "Marathi",
          "roman": "dhairya",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "धैर्य"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "pdt",
          "lang": "Plautdietsch",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Iewa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "firmeza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pyl",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "пыл"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "rvénije",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "рве́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "vynóslivostʹ",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "выно́сливость"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "mod"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "kurage"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 1 2",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
          "word": "azim"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 274, column 2:",
          "text": "Your Maſter quits you: and for your ſeruice done him, / So much againſt the mettle of your ſex",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, “Interlopers”, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC, page 328:",
          "text": "The arrival of this unexpected heir soon taking wind in the court, still makes good for the Sol, and keeps the court upon its mettle.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Good temperament and character."
      ],
      "id": "en-mettle-en-noun-OLGQLdFp",
      "links": [
        [
          "temperament",
          "temperament"
        ],
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "harakter",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "характер"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "temperament",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "темперамент"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "word": "fermesa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "word": "temperament"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "word": "karakter"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "word": "sopuisuus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Feurigkeit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "word": "karaktär"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 97 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "good temperament and character",
          "word": "eldighet"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "metallic substance",
          "word": "metal"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:",
          "text": "They have neither gold nor silver of their owne, wine nor oyle, or scarce any corne growing in those united Provinces, little or no Wood, Tinne, Lead, Iron, Silke, Wooll, any stuffe almost, or Mettle; and yet Hungary, Transilvania, that bragge of their mines, fertile England cannot compare with them.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Obsolete spelling of metal (“metallic substance”)."
      ],
      "id": "en-mettle-en-noun-CeoCx9el",
      "links": [
        [
          "metal",
          "metal#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "obsolete",
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɛtəl/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mettle.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛtəl"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "metal (general)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "medal"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "meddle (in accents with flapping)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "mettle"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "From figurative use of metal (since 16th century). The two spellings were originally interchangeable variants, but came to be distinguished by sense in the 18th century.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "?"
      },
      "expansion": "mettle",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Scottish English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 24 4 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 12 2 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 14 10 7",
          "kind": "other",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "83 8 6 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 14 7 15",
          "kind": "other",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 16 6 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 14 9 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Catalan translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 17 3 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 15 7 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Faroese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 16 5 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 14 4 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 15 3 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "61 21 8 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Irish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "71 13 7 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Marathi translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "88 5 3 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Plautdietsch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 15 7 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 12 3 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 14 2 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "67 14 7 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "67 14 7 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Turkish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:",
          "text": "And then one afternoon in the hinder end of April came young Heriotside riding to the Skerburnfoot. His arm was healed, he had got him a fine new suit of green, and his horse was a mettle beast that well set off his figure.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Spirited, vigorous, stout-hearted."
      ],
      "id": "en-mettle-en-adj-HYx-yFo5",
      "links": [
        [
          "Spirited",
          "spirited"
        ],
        [
          "vigorous",
          "vigorous"
        ],
        [
          "stout-hearted",
          "stout-hearted"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Scotland) Spirited, vigorous, stout-hearted."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɛtəl/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mettle.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛtəl"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "metal (general)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "medal"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "meddle (in accents with flapping)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "mettle"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with homophones",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Spanish translations",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛtəl",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛtəl/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Arabic translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Faroese translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Irish translations",
    "Terms with Marathi translations",
    "Terms with Plautdietsch translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "mettlesome"
    },
    {
      "word": "on one's mettle"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From figurative use of metal (since 16th century). The two spellings were originally interchangeable variants, but came to be distinguished by sense in the 18th century.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "mettles",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "mettle (usually uncountable, plural mettles)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene viii], page 90, column 2:",
          "text": "By this Day and this Light, the fellow ha's mettell enough in his belly.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2001, Harry J. Alexandrowicz, Testing your Mettle: Tough Problems and Real-world Solutions for Middle and High School Teachers, page xiii:",
          "text": "Please read on and discover the issues in education that test the mettle of those who experience this world every day.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1919, Henry B[lake] Fuller, “Cope Goes A-Sailing”, in Bertram Cope’s Year: A Novel, Chicago, Ill.: Ralph Fletcher Seymour, The Alderbrink Press, →OCLC, page 154:",
          "text": "He was presently in as active circulation, on the campus and elsewhere, as ever. The few who looked after him at all came to the view that he possessed more mettle than stamina.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021 April 28, Tara Siegel Bernard, “Trading Stock Tips on TikTok, Newbies Are Deeply Invested in Learning”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Its possible that some traders will become less interested as their offline lives resume more fully, but their mettle may really be tested when the market runs into its next downturn.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A quality of courage and endurance."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "quality",
          "quality#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "courage",
          "courage#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "endurance",
          "endurance"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "heart"
        },
        {
          "word": "pith"
        },
        {
          "word": "spirit"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 274, column 2:",
          "text": "Your Maſter quits you: and for your ſeruice done him, / So much againſt the mettle of your ſex",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, “Interlopers”, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC, page 328:",
          "text": "The arrival of this unexpected heir soon taking wind in the court, still makes good for the Sol, and keeps the court upon its mettle.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Good temperament and character."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "temperament",
          "temperament"
        ],
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    },
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "metallic substance",
          "word": "metal"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English obsolete forms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:",
          "text": "They have neither gold nor silver of their owne, wine nor oyle, or scarce any corne growing in those united Provinces, little or no Wood, Tinne, Lead, Iron, Silke, Wooll, any stuffe almost, or Mettle; and yet Hungary, Transilvania, that bragge of their mines, fertile England cannot compare with them.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Obsolete spelling of metal (“metallic substance”)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "metal",
          "metal#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "obsolete",
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɛtəl/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mettle.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛtəl"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "metal (general)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "medal"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "meddle (in accents with flapping)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "معدن"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "kuraž",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "кураж"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "izdrǎžlivost",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "издръжливост"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "tremp"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "fermesa"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "moed"
    },
    {
      "code": "fo",
      "lang": "Faroese",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "mót"
    },
    {
      "code": "fo",
      "lang": "Faroese",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "treyst"
    },
    {
      "code": "fo",
      "lang": "Faroese",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "áræði"
    },
    {
      "code": "fo",
      "lang": "Faroese",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "ágrýtni"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "lujahermoisuus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "rohkeus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "prouesse"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Mut"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Eifer"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Enthusiasmus"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Stamina"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "miotal"
    },
    {
      "code": "mr",
      "lang": "Marathi",
      "roman": "dhairya",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "धैर्य"
    },
    {
      "code": "pdt",
      "lang": "Plautdietsch",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Iewa"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "firmeza"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pyl",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "пыл"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "rvénije",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "рве́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vynóslivostʹ",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "выно́сливость"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "mod"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "kurage"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "a quality of endurance and courage",
      "word": "azim"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "harakter",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "характер"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "temperament",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "темперамент"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "word": "fermesa"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "word": "temperament"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "word": "karakter"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "word": "sopuisuus"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Feurigkeit"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "word": "karaktär"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "good temperament and character",
      "word": "eldighet"
    }
  ],
  "word": "mettle"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with homophones",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Spanish translations",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛtəl",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛtəl/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Arabic translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Faroese translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Irish translations",
    "Terms with Marathi translations",
    "Terms with Plautdietsch translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From figurative use of metal (since 16th century). The two spellings were originally interchangeable variants, but came to be distinguished by sense in the 18th century.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "?"
      },
      "expansion": "mettle",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned",
        "Scottish English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:",
          "text": "And then one afternoon in the hinder end of April came young Heriotside riding to the Skerburnfoot. His arm was healed, he had got him a fine new suit of green, and his horse was a mettle beast that well set off his figure.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Spirited, vigorous, stout-hearted."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Spirited",
          "spirited"
        ],
        [
          "vigorous",
          "vigorous"
        ],
        [
          "stout-hearted",
          "stout-hearted"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Scotland) Spirited, vigorous, stout-hearted."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɛtəl/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mettle.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b8/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-mettle.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛtəl"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "metal (general)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "medal"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "meddle (in accents with flapping)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "mettle"
}

Download raw JSONL data for mettle meaning in English (12.2kB)

{
  "called_from": "translations/324",
  "msg": "possible sense number in translation item: Spanish: __IGNORE__ (1-2), __IGNORE__ (1), __IGNORE__ (2),",
  "path": [
    "mettle"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "mettle",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.