Dictionary Home » The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms » strike while the iron is hot

strike while the iron is hot

strike while the iron is hot idiom
Take advantage of favorable conditions, as in They just made a huge profit, so let's strike while the iron is hot and ask for some money. This adage alludes to the blacksmith's forge. [Late 1300s] Also see make hay while the sun shines.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.