Iron Definition

īərn
ironed, ironing, irons
noun
irons
A white, malleable, ductile, metallic chemical element that can be readily magnetized, rusts rapidly in moist or salty air, and is vital to plant and animal life: it is the most common of all metals, and its alloys, as steel, are extensively used: symbol, Fe; at. no. 26
Webster's New World
Any tool, implement, device, apparatus, etc. made of iron.
Webster's New World
Firm strength; power.
Webster's New World
Any of a set of numbered clubs with metal heads having various lofts; specif., the number 2 iron with little loft, used chiefly for relatively long fairway shots; the number 5 iron with medium loft; and the number 9 iron with much loft, used chiefly for short, lofted shots to the green.
Webster's New World
A metal appliance with a handle and a weighted flat bottom, used when heated to press wrinkles from fabric.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
adjective
Of or consisting of iron.
Webster's New World
Like iron.
Webster's New World
Strong, healthy, and capable of great endurance.
An iron constitution.
American Heritage
Cruel; merciless.
Webster's New World
Inflexible; unyielding.
Iron resolve.
American Heritage
Antonyms:
verb
ironed, ironing, irons
To remove (creases) by pressing.
American Heritage
To press (clothes or cloth) smooth or flat with a hot iron.
Webster's New World
To shackle (a prisoner) with irons.
Webster's New World
To furnish or cover with iron.
Webster's New World
To iron clothes or cloth.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
idiom
in irons
  • Lying head to the wind and unable to turn either way.
American Heritage
iron in the fire
  • An undertaking or project in progress:

    has many irons in the fire this year.

American Heritage
have many (<i>or</i> several, <i>etc.</i>) irons in the fire
  • to have or be engaged in many (or several, etc.) activities, enterprises, or the like
Webster's New World
in irons
  • shackled with irons
  • headed into the wind with no way on
Webster's New World
iron out
  • to smooth out; eliminate
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Iron

Noun

Singular:
iron
Plural:
irons

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Iron

Origin of Iron

  • From Middle English iren, a rhotacism of Old English īsern, īsærn, īren, īsen, from Proto-Germanic *īsarną (compare Dutch ijzer, West Frisian izer, German Eisen, Danish jern), from Gaulish īsarno-, from Proto-Celtic *īsarno- (compare Welsh haearn, Irish iarann), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésh₂r̥ (“blood”) (compare Hittite (ešḫar), Tocharian A ysār, Latvian asinis, Ancient Greek ἔαρ (ear), Old Armenian արիւն (ariwn), Sanskrit असृज् (asṛj)). The sense development runs from 'blood' to 'blood red' to 'ruddy metal'.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English iren from Old English īren eis- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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