caseharden

case·hard·en

 (kās′här′dn)

tr.v. case·hard·ened, case·hard·en·ing, case·hard·ens

1. To harden the surface or case of (iron or steel) by high-temperature shallow infusion of carbon followed by quenching.

2. To make callous or insensitive.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

case•hard•en

(ˈkeɪsˌhɑr dn)

v.t.

1. to harden the surface of (an iron-based alloy) by carburizing and heat treatment, leaving the interior tough and ductile.

2. to make callous.

[1670–80]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

caseharden

verb

To make resistant to hardship, especially through continued exposure:

acclimate, acclimatize, harden, indurate, season, toughen.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.