Meaning of steelie | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A zinc-coated steel one-cent (penny) coin, produced during World War II because of copper shortages.
   US
2. A steel bearing ball used as a marble.
3. A steel wheel.
   colloquial
4. A steel-toe boot.
   informal, plural, plural-only, usually

Examples

“the jewel of his collection, a steelie from 1943”

“the heaviest in his collection, an old steelie from the junkyard”

“The steelies were just balls of steel, industrially ugly and not part of most girls' collections. There were four sizes of marbles and we called them boulders, biggies, regulars, and teenies.”

“old Mopars wearing steelies with dog dishes”

“Better wear⟳ your steelies when he's around. [implying that he is clumsy]”

CEFR level