steel against
steel (someone or oneself) against (someone or something)
To cause someone or oneself to be mentally and emotionally prepared, obdurate, and unyielding in the face of some difficult or unpleasant person, task, situation, outcome, etc. The future may look grim, but we must steel ourselves against the challenges ahead. Our people have long been steeled against would be tyrants like you! I know I'm tough on you, but I'm trying to steel you against life's many difficulties and disappointments.
See also: steel
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
steel someone against someone or something
to fortify someone against someone or something; to prepare someone to endure someone or something. I tried to steel Liz against Carl, who was bringing her some very bad news. We steeled her against the bad news.
See also: steel
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
- steel (someone or oneself) against (someone or something)
- for (one's) (own) sake
- for sake
- keep (someone or something) in sight
- keep in sight
- keep sight of
- keep sight of (someone or something)
- keep sight of somebody/something
- leave (someone, something, or oneself) (wide) open for (something)
- leave oneself wide open for