iron
iron — adjective
1. Describes clothing or fabric that has been pressed with a heated household devic
Describes clothing or fabric that has been pressed with a heated household device to remove wrinkles and make the surface flat and neat.
Guo wore a neatly ironed white shirt to the job interview.
adverb + adjective: neatly ironed
The hotel laundry returned all the sheets freshly ironed and folded.
Amara never wears jeans that are not ironed — she likes everything crisp.
The tailor handed me a perfectly ironed suit wrapped in tissue paper.
用法筆記
Commonly modified by adverbs such as 'neatly', 'freshly', 'perfectly', or 'carefully'.
常見錯誤
2. Made of the hard grey metal that is the most common element on Earth, used in co
Made of the hard grey metal that is the most common element on Earth, used in construction, machinery, and tools.
The old iron gate creaked loudly every time Xin pushed it open.
collocation: iron gate
Chen's grandmother still cooks in a heavy iron pot that has been in the family for decades.
Iron railings lined the stairs of the 19th-century townhouse.
The bridge was built with iron beams imported from England in 1885.
- ferrous
technical term meaning 'containing iron'; used in chemistry and industry, not everyday speech
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'steel' — steel is made from iron with carbon added for extra strength. 'Iron' as an adjective typically refers to older or decorative items, while modern construction uses steel.
3. Having a colour, shine, or hardness that reminds you of the metal iron.
Having a colour, shine, or hardness that reminds you of the metal iron.
The rock had an iron grey colour that caught the morning sunlight.
collocation: iron grey
Diego noticed the iron taste in the water from the old pipes.
The soil in this region has an iron red tint from the high mineral content.
- metallic
broader — can refer to any metal, not specifically iron
用法筆記
Most often used to describe colours (iron grey, iron red) or the metallic taste of blood or old water pipes.
4. Having exceptional personal resilience in body, mind, or character — describes a
Having exceptional personal resilience in body, mind, or character — describes a person or other living being's ability to endure hardship, pain, or pressure without weakening.
Fatima has an iron constitution and almost never catches colds.
collocation: iron constitution
The marathon runners needed iron willpower to finish in the pouring rain.
collocation: iron willpower / iron will
Boris's iron nerves made him an excellent emergency room doctor.
The old fisherman still had an iron grip despite his age.
Hana's iron determination to finish medical school never wavered.
用法筆記
This is a metaphorical sense used before nouns in fixed collocations. Common patterns: 'iron will', 'iron constitution', 'iron nerves', 'iron grip', 'iron discipline'.
常見錯誤
5. Completely fixed and not open to challenge — used of systems, laws, regulations,
Completely fixed and not open to challenge — used of systems, laws, regulations, regimes, or institutional controls that are strict and cannot be changed or questioned.
The dictator ruled the country with an iron fist for over thirty years.
idiomatic phrase: iron fist — strict, cruel control
The regime's iron grip on the media silenced all independent journalists.
The school maintained an iron rule: no phones in class, no exceptions.
Despite protests, the committee stuck to its iron decision to close the library.
- inflexible
direct synonym; 'inflexible rules' cannot be bent or changed
- unyielding
emphasises refusal to give way under pressure
用法筆記
Often carries a negative or severe tone, especially in political contexts ('iron fist', 'iron rule').
iron — noun
1. A hard, grey, magnetic metal (chemical symbol Fe) that is the most common elemen
A hard, grey, magnetic metal (chemical symbol Fe) that is the most common element on Earth. It is used to make steel and is an essential part of the blood that carries oxygen around the body.
Iron is the main ingredient in steel, which is used to build skyscrapers and bridges.
uncountable: 'Iron is…'
Doctors told Binta she needs more iron in her diet to treat her anaemia.
dietary iron: 'iron in her diet'
Spinach, red meat, and lentils are good sources of iron.
The old mines in this region produced high-quality iron for over a century.
Without enough iron, the body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells.
用法筆記
As a chemical element, 'iron' is uncountable (no plural). When referring to types or alloys, the plural 'irons' occasionally appears in technical contexts ('different irons were tested'). For dietary contexts, 'iron' is always singular.
常見錯誤
2. An electrical household tool with a flat, pointed metal base that heats up, used
An electrical household tool with a flat, pointed metal base that heats up, used to press clothes and remove wrinkles.
Oluwaseun plugged in the iron and waited for it to heat up before starting on the shirts.
verb + iron: plug in the iron / heat up the iron
Suki bought a new steam iron that makes ironing much faster.
Be careful — the bottom of the iron is very hot and can burn fabric.
The hotel room had a small iron and ironing board inside the wardrobe.
- flatiron
old-fashioned term for a traditional iron heated on a stove
- steam iron
specific type that uses steam for better results
用法筆記
Often appears with 'ironing board' (the padded board you place clothes on while ironing). A 'steam iron' sprays steam to make wrinkles easier to remove. Some irons are cordless and sit on a charging base.
常見錯誤
3. A type of golf club with a thin, angled metal head, used for hitting the ball me
A type of golf club with a thin, angled metal head, used for hitting the ball medium to short distances with accuracy.
Fumi chose a 7-iron for the shot over the pond because it offered good control.
numbered: 7-iron, 5-iron, 9-iron, etc.
Professional golfers usually carry several irons in their bag, from a 3-iron to a 9-iron.
Chen practised hitting with a pitching iron at the driving range every weekend.
The coach told Diego to use a short iron for the approach shot to the green.
- wood
a golf club with a larger, rounded head, used for long-distance shots
用法筆記
Irons are numbered 1–9; lower numbers (1-iron, 2-iron, 3-iron) hit farther with a lower angle, and higher numbers (7-iron, 8-iron, 9-iron) hit shorter distances with a steeper angle. 'Short irons' (8, 9) are for approach shots near the green. The 'pitching iron' is another name for a pitching wedge.
4. Heavy metal chains or rings fastened around a prisoner's wrists or ankles to res
Heavy metal chains or rings fastened around a prisoner's wrists or ankles to restrict movement.
The captive was led into the courtroom with irons on his wrists and ankles.
plural form: 'irons' — always plural in this sense
In the museum, visitors could see the rusted irons used on convicts sent to the colonies.
Prisoners in the labour camp worked all day in leg irons.
The blacksmith's shop displayed a set of irons once used to restrain runaway slaves.
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form 'irons'. 'Leg irons' specifically refers to shackles around the ankles. 'Put in irons' / 'placed in irons' is a historical expression meaning to chain someone up. Modern usage is mostly historical or literary.
常見錯誤
iron — verb
1. To press clothes or fabric with a heated household tool to make them flat, smoot
To press clothes or fabric with a heated household tool to make them flat, smooth, and free of wrinkles.
Hana irons her uniform every Sunday evening so it is ready for Monday morning.
transitive: iron + object (uniform)
Diego hates ironing but he does it anyway because he likes his shirts crisp.
gerund form: ironing — common as a noun or -ing verb
The cleaner spent two hours ironing all the curtains before the guests arrived.
Xin asked whether the hotel can iron his suit for the wedding tomorrow.
You should iron linen while it is still slightly damp for the best results.
文法句型
iron + object (clothes/fabric)
iron (intransitive: no object needed)
用法筆記
The -ing form 'ironing' is very common, both as a verb ('I am ironing') and as a gerund noun ('I hate ironing'). The past tense and past participle are both 'ironed'. The related noun 'ironing' refers to the task itself ('I have a pile of ironing to do').