welding

Everyday

1. Joining two pieces of metal (or plastic) by heating them until they melt a little and flow together, then letting them cool into one piece. tree →
2. «Welding» is also the -ing form of «weld»: «He is welding the gate». tree →
3. The job or trade of a welder. tree →
4. Welding can also mean joining two things so closely that they become one whole. tree →

In the lessons

In science and technology lessons welding shows how heat can melt metal and how melted metal hardens when it cools. In everyday life you see welding on bridges, cars, ships and playground frames. Safety: welding makes very bright light and sparks, so welders wear a dark mask, gloves and thick clothes; never look at the flash. Phrases: «welding torch», «welding mask», «weld together».

Examples

• My uncle does welding at the shipyard. tree →
• The welder wore a dark mask to protect her eyes from the bright light. tree →
• They are welding the broken gate back together. tree →
• Sparks flew from the welding torch. tree →
• Never stare at welding light, because it can hurt your eyes. tree →
• The steel beams of the bridge were joined by welding. tree →
• At the school fair a robot showed how car welding works. tree →

Note

Uncountable as a noun: «some welding», «a lot of welding». A person who welds is a «welder». Welding is different from gluing (sticky stuff) and soldering (joining with a softer metal at a lower heat, used in electronics).