# iron

Pronunciation: US say "EYE-urn" /ˈaɪ(ə)ɹn/; UK say "EYE-uhn" /ˈaɪən/

## Noun

1. A hard, silvery-gray metal that rusts and is attracted by magnets, used to make steel (element Fe, atomic number 26); also this element as a dietary nutrient needed for healthy blood.
   - Simple: A hard gray metal that rusts, used to make steel and tools. Your body also needs a little of it from food.
   - _Blacksmiths shaped iron into tools and weapons for centuries._
   - _Iron is attracted to magnets, which makes it easy to separate from other scrap._
3. A handheld appliance with a flat, heated metal base, used to press wrinkles from clothing.
   - Simple: A flat metal tool that gets hot and presses wrinkles out of clothes.
   - _He set the iron on its heel to keep it from burning the shirt._
   - _A modern iron uses steam to smooth stubborn creases._
5. A metal tool that is heated for a specific task, such as styling hair, soldering, or branding.
   - Simple: A metal tool that gets hot and is used for a certain job, like styling hair or marking cattle.
   - _Let the iron heat up fully before you touch it to the circuit board._
   - _The ranch hands pulled the glowing irons from the fire and branded the calves one by one._
6. A golf club with a flat, angled metal head, used for shots of medium distance.
   - Simple: A golf club with a metal head, used for medium-distance shots.
   - _The golfer reached for an iron rather than the driver._
   - _A well-struck iron put the ball within ten feet of the pin._
8. Great strength, toughness, or hardness, invoked as a symbol of something that resists breaking or bending.
   - Simple: Strength or toughness so great that it seems as hard as metal.
   - _The old soldier had a constitution of iron._
   - _She has a will of iron and never gives up on a goal._
9. Metal restraints, such as shackles or chains, used to bind a prisoner's wrists or ankles.
   - Simple: Metal chains or rings used to lock up a prisoner's hands or feet.
   - _The mutineers were clapped in irons and taken below deck._
   - _Rusty leg irons still hung from the dungeon wall._
10. A firearm of any kind, whether a handgun or a long gun such as a rifle or shotgun. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A gun, such as a handgun or a rifle.
   - _Every man in that gang was carrying iron._
   - _She slipped the iron back into her coat before the police arrived._
11. Weighted equipment, such as barbells and dumbbells, lifted as resistance for the purpose of building strength.
   - Simple: Heavy weights that you lift to build muscle and get stronger.
   - _Serious athletes spend hours moving iron in the weight room._
   - _She prefers lifting iron to running on a treadmill._
12. A hand tool of a kind formerly forged from wrought iron and now generally made of steel.
   - Simple: A hand tool that was once made of iron and is now usually made of steel.
   - _He worked the tire iron under the edge of the tire and pried it off the rim._
   - _The boatbuilder tapped the caulking iron with a mallet, driving cotton into the seams of the hull._
13. A meteorite made primarily of metallic iron with a small amount of nickel, rather than mostly stony material.
   - Simple: A space rock that fell to Earth and is made mostly of metal instead of stone.
   - _The collector prized a polished iron that showed crystal patterns when etched._
   - _Most meteorites are stony, but irons are far easier to spot once they land._
14. A dark shade of silver, tending toward gray.
   - Simple: A dark gray color, like a darker version of silver.
   - _The new sedan comes in pearl white, black, or iron._
   - _His coat was a muted iron that read almost charcoal in low light._
17. A fireproof safety curtain that can be lowered between stage and auditorium to contain a fire. *(British)*
   - Simple: A fireproof screen that drops down to separate the stage from the audience during a fire.
   - _During the fire inspection, the stage crew dropped the iron to check its seals._
   - _At the old playhouse, the iron comes down during the interval._
18. Unguided bombs that fall without any onboard guidance or steering system. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Bombs that fall freely and have no system to steer them onto a target.
   - _With no precision weapons on hand, the squadron relied on iron._
   - _The wing commander ordered iron loaded for the low-altitude strike._
19. A gay man; an offensive slang term. *(dialectal, Cockney)*
   - Simple: An insulting slang word for a gay man.
   - _A couple of louts cornered him outside the club, jeering and calling him an iron._
   - _He flinched when his uncle spat the word, branding him an iron in front of the family._

## Adjective

2. Constructed from iron rather than another material such as wood, brass, or steel.
   - Simple: Built or made from the hard metal iron.
   - _The bridge rested on massive iron beams._
   - _Antique iron tools rust easily if left outdoors._
7. Strong and unyielding, especially in will or determination; not easily bent or broken.
   - Simple: Very strong and firm, like a will that cannot be changed.
   - _The general ruled with iron discipline._
   - _Her iron determination carried the project through every setback._

## Verb

4. To smooth clothes or other cloth by pressing them with a heated iron.
   - Simple: To make clothes flat and smooth using a hot iron.
   - _He irons his uniform every Sunday evening._
   - _Could you iron these pillowcases while the water boils?_
15. To furnish, cover, or strengthen something with iron, as by adding iron bands or plating.
   - Simple: To cover or strengthen something by adding iron to it.

## Verb

16. To shackle, fetter, or handcuff a person with metal restraints. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To lock metal chains or cuffs onto a prisoner's wrists or ankles.
   - _By custom the marshals would iron any prisoner thought likely to flee._
   - _The jailers ironed the condemned man and led him to the cell._

## Origin

It comes from Middle English iren, from Old English īsern, īren, and similar forms, which trace back through Proto-Germanic *īsarną to Proto-Celtic *īsarnom ("iron"), probably ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "blood." It is related to Dutch ijzer, German Eisen, and Swedish järn.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/iron (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).