anneal
Toughen through heating
To anneal metal or glass is to heat it and then cool it slowly, reducing brittleness and internal stress.
The process makes materials more workable.
Figuratively, experiences that anneal someone toughen them through hardship: Years of failure annealed her resolve.
In technical contexts, annealing applies to any gradual process that optimizes a system by reducing disorder.
Enclosed heat-producing structure
- kilnOven for hardening clay
- forgeFurnace for shaping metal
- red-hotHeated to glowing
- soakingCompletely saturated with liquid
reheating · gradual · uniform · regulated · chamber · batch · continuous
Oven for hardening clay
- glassblowerArtisan shaping molten silica
- furnaceEnclosed heat-producing structure
- moltenLiquefied by extreme heat
- flameworkTorch-based glass shaping
lampworking · borosilicate · soda-lime · cullet · frit · glory-hole · torchwork · blowing
Controlled heating and cooling
- recrystallizationPurification through dissolving and reforming
- softeningBecoming less firm
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
- malleabilityCapacity for deformation without breaking
microstructure · alloy · stress-relief · homogenization · workability · copper · steel · brass
Resilient durability under strain
- durabilityResistance to wear
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
- hardinessAbility to endure adversity
robustness · longevity · strengthening · conditioning · tempering
Restoration of health
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- reconciliationRestoration of friendly relations
- mendingRestoring damaged items
- restorationReturning something to condition
repair · soothing · hardship · trial · adversity · growth · transformation · fortifying
furnace
Enclosed heat-producing structure
soaking · reheating · gradual · uniform · regulated · chamber · batch · continuous
kiln
Oven for hardening clay
- glassblowerArtisan shaping molten silica
- furnaceEnclosed heat-producing structure
- moltenLiquefied by extreme heat
flamework · lampworking · borosilicate · soda-lime · cullet · frit · glory-hole · torchwork · blowing · viscosity
tempering
Controlled heating and cooling
- recrystallizationPurification through dissolving and reforming
- softeningBecoming less firm
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
malleability · microstructure · alloy · stress-relief · homogenization · workability · copper · steel · brass · bronze
toughness
Resilient durability under strain
- durabilityResistance to wear
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
hardiness · robustness · longevity · strengthening · conditioning · tempering
healing
Restoration of health
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- reconciliationRestoration of friendly relations
- mendingRestoring damaged items
restoration · repair · soothing · hardship · trial · adversity · growth · transformation · fortifying · overcoming
- process verbscreate, produce, make, build, construct
- strengthenstrengthen, reinforce, fortify, bolster, toughen
- blacksmithinganvil, anvils, forge, forges, bellows
- metalworkingwelding, casting, forging, smithing, smelting
- hardensolidify, harden, stiffen, firm up, set
- biology verbsgrow, divide, reproduce, evolve, mutate