Word of the Day 14 September 2026

quenching

The rapid cooling of a hot metal object, by placing it in a liquid, in order to harden it.

Why this one

Rapid cooling to lock in a structure that slow cooling would never produce. The whole of heat treatment is an argument about cooling rate.

In use

We're quenching in oil on this batch, water was cracking them at the thin end every time.

Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.

Sources