WordGarden.iosteelwork
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /stˈiːlwɜːk/
US
- /stˈiːlwɜːk/
Meanings
Noun
structural steel parts or framework used in a building, bridge, or other structure
the trade or activity of fabricating and erecting steel structures
Beyond the definition
Steelwork is the metal frame or set of steel parts used to build something large and strong, such as a bridge, factory, or tall building. It includes beams, columns, and other pieces that are made, brought to the site, and joined together to form the main support of a structure.
You will usually hear "steelwork" in construction and engineering. Sometimes it means the finished framework itself, and sometimes it means the work of making and putting those steel parts in place. It can be visible on the outside or hidden inside walls and floors, quietly holding everything up.
Steelwork refers to the steel parts that form the frame of a structure, or to the job of making and putting those parts together. In buildings, bridges, towers, factories, and similar projects, it often includes beams, columns, trusses, plates, and other pieces that give the structure its strength and shape.
The word is common in construction and engineering because it covers more than the raw material. It points to steel that has been cut, shaped, prepared, and assembled for a purpose. People might talk about "the steelwork of the new stadium" when they mean the visible or hidden framework, or "steelwork on the site" when they mean the stage of work in which those steel parts are being lifted into place and fixed with bolts or welding.
In some contexts, "steelwork" can also refer more generally to work done in steel or to the trade and industry around it. Still, the most common idea is structural use: the strong metal framework that helps hold a large structure together. When you picture the bare frame of a skyscraper rising floor by floor, you are looking at steelwork in one of its clearest forms.
Examples
- 1
Construction parts
The steelwork for the new stadium arrived in sections by truck.
- 2
Building stage
Once the steelwork was in place, the builders started on the roof.
- 3
Bridge inspection
Engineers found serious rust in the bridge's steelwork during the inspection.
See also
Similar
- steel structure
- steel frame
Shades of meaning
- structural steel
- fabricated steel
Contrast
- wood framing
- masonry
Used with (collocations)
- structural steelwork
- steelwork fabrication
- erect steelwork
Explore
- steel fabrication
- load-bearing structure
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- steelwork