Mettle is a quality of temperament. It refers to courage, fortitude and disposition. Mettle can also mean the “stuff of which a person is made.” The word is a variant spelling of metal, and its origin comes exactly from the allusion to the temper of a sword.
But it’s only after a stumble or failure that a manager or leader shows his or her true mettle. (Business Week)
But several have come upon a new way to test their virtuosic mettle: Amid the latest violin disks, most of which are conventional studio productions, there are several recordings of live performances, issues without cosmetic editing. (NY Times)
Mettle can also mean the “stuff of which a person is made.”
So if I say I’m made of mettle, people won’t think I’m a robot (or, more likely, delusional)? 🙂