annealing
nounUK /əˈniːlɪŋ/
US /əˈniːlɪŋ/
Heating metal or glass and then cooling it slowly to make it softer and stronger.
The blacksmith used annealing to make the metal easier to bend.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In biology, the process where two strands of DNA join together.
Scientists used DNA annealing to combine the two genetic strands.
3. The act of making something less severe or intense over time.
The annealing of tensions between the two countries took years.
4. A period of rest and reflection that helps a person grow.
Her quiet year abroad was a kind of annealing for her spirit.