different between boldness vs mettle

English

Etymology

From Middle English boldnesse, equivalent to bold +? -ness. Cognate with Scots baldness, bauldness (“boldness”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?bo?ldn?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b??ldn?s/
• Hyphenation: bold?ness

Noun

boldness (usually uncountable, plural boldnesses)

1. The state of being bold; courage.
   • 1906, Rudyard Kipling, Puck of Pook's Hill

     Then he warmed to it, and smoothly set out all his shifts, malices, and treacheries, his extreme boldnesses (he was desperate bold); his retreats, shufflings, and counterfeitings (he was also inconceivably a coward) […]

2. presumptuousness
3. (typography) The relative weight of a font; the thickness of its strokes.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:courage

Translations

Anagrams

• bondless

English

Etymology

1580s, originally a variant of metal, which had a figurative sense until the early 18th century.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?m?t.l?/, /?m?.t?l/
• Rhymes: -?t?l
• Homophones: metal, medal, meddle (in accents with flapping)

Noun

mettle (usually uncountable, plural mettles)

1. A quality of endurance and courage.

   Synonyms: courage, heart, spirit

   • 2001, Harry J. Alexandrowicz, Testing your Mettle: Tough Problems and Real-world Solutions for Middle and High School Teachers, page xiii

     Please read on and discover the issues in education that test the mettle of those who experience this world every day.
2. Good temperament and character.
3. (obsolete) Metal; a metallic substance.

Derived terms

• mettlesome

Translations

References