Meanings
adverbclose to the metal (comparative closer to the metal, superlative closest to the metal)
comparative closer to the metal · superlative closest to the metal
- computingWith fewer abstractions.
Origin
Metal here is a metonym for hardware, which is mostly made of different metals.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
close to the metal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/close%20to%20the%20metal
MLA
“close to the metal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/close%20to%20the%20metal. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “close to the metal,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/close%20to%20the%20metal.
Source: close to the metal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.