View synonyms for base metal

base metal

noun

any metal other than a precious or noble metal, as copper, lead, zinc, or tin. Compare noble metal, precious metal.
the principal metal of an alloy.
the principal metal of a piece underlying a coating of another metal; core.

base metal

any of certain common metals such as copper, lead, zinc, and tin, as distinct from the precious metals, gold, silver, and platinum

He 'sophisticated' it, as the parliamentary documents call it—that is, he used base metal instead of bullion.

A pair of scales for weighing ore and buttons of base metal.

Base metal though it were, it seemed pure gold to his listeners.

"But all these watches are of base metal, and I want one of good gold and handsome finish," observed my grandmother.

The gold in their nature is now so mixed with base metal that in any great trial the coin would sooner break than bend.

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