Anneal Definition

ə-nēl

annealed, annealing, anneals

verb

annealed, annealing, anneals

To subject (glass or metal) to a process of heating and slow cooling in order to toughen and reduce brittleness.

American Heritage

To fire or glaze, as in a kiln.

Webster's New World

To heat (glass, metals, etc.) and then cool, sometimes slowly, to prevent brittleness.

Webster's New World

To become strengthened or hardened.

American Heritage

To strengthen and temper (the mind, will, etc.)

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Origin of Anneal

From Middle English anelen, onelen, from Old English anǣlan, onǣlan (“to set fire to, ignite, heat, inspire, incite, kindle, inflame, enlighten, burn, consume”), from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on”) + Proto-Germanic *ailijaną (“to burn”), from Proto-Indo-European *aidʰ- (“to burn”). Related to Old English onāl (“burning, incense, that which is burnt”), Old English āl (“fire, burning”), Icelandic eldur (“fire”), Swedish eld (“fire, flame”), Danish ild (“fire”).

From Wiktionary
Middle English anelen from Old English onǣlan to set fire to on on on ǣlan to kindle

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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