Mettle ***

mettle







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n. (名詞 noun)[U]



          1.    秉性;氣質

                      try a man's mettle

                      試探一個人的秉性

          2.    精神;勇氣;毅力

                      The runner fell, but he showed his mettle by continuing in the race.

                      短跑運動員摔倒了,但仍堅持不懈,體現出了他的毅力。





The Columbia Guide to Standard American English



metal, mettle (nn.) 

   

A metal is a chemical element such as iron, copper, silver, or gold and various alloys (/A/loy) made of them; 



mettle is a figurative variant of metal, meaning "courage, spirit, high quality of character."



Listeners may have trouble distinguishing either of these words from medal or meddle (interfere) in American English unless context makes clear which the speaker intends. 





Cate Blanchett: Queen of the screen (2)



The challenge now will be to find screen roles that really stretch her. Ibsen heroines and Virgin Queens will put her on her mettle, but there is the danger she will lapse into mannerism and give more of those eccentric, overblown performances in parts she does not regard as a challenge.





see tenacity fortitude