irons
irons — idiom
1. the state of being bound with metal chains or shackles so that one cannot move f
the state of being bound with metal chains or shackles so that one cannot move freely — used in the phrase 'in irons'
The captured sailors were put in irons and locked below deck until the ship reached port.
idiom: 'in irons' meaning shackled with chains
Tariq read historical accounts of prisoners forced to sleep in irons on cold stone floors.
The captain ordered the mutineers clapped in irons and taken below to the brig.
The judge ordered the violent defendant to be put back in irons for the remainder of the trial.
idiom: 'in irons'
- in irons
- clapped in irons
- put in irons
- bound in irons
Grammar Patterns
in irons
put/clap someone in irons
Usage Note
Only appears in the plural form 'irons' when referring to restraints, not 'iron'. Almost always used with the preposition 'in'.
Common Mistakes
irons — noun
1. a common silver-grey metal found in rocks and soil that is strong, can be shaped
a common silver-grey metal found in rocks and soil that is strong, can be shaped when heated, and is used to make tools, machines, buildings, and many other objects; it is also an essential part of human blood that carries oxygen around the body
Sari works at a factory where old cars are crushed and the iron is melted down for reuse.
uncountable mass noun: 'iron' as material
Maeve's doctor told her she needs more iron in her diet and suggested eating spinach and red meat.
The bridge was built from strong iron more than a hundred years ago and still carries traffic every day.
Folake picked up the old iron pan and noticed a layer of rust forming along the rim.
compound noun: 'iron pan' — iron as material modifier
- made of iron
- iron ore
- cast iron
- wrought iron
- iron deficiency
- iron and steel
- metal
a broader category that includes iron
- ferrous metal
technical term for metals containing iron
Grammar Patterns
NOUN — used as uncountable
Usage Note
Uncountable when referring to the metal itself. Countable only when referring to specific types or alloys (e.g. 'a range of irons and steels').
Common Mistakes
2. a household tool with a flat, smooth, heated base that you slide over clothes to
a household tool with a flat, smooth, heated base that you slide over clothes to remove wrinkles and make them flat
Heloísa plugged in the iron and waited for it to heat up before pressing her cotton shirt.
object: 'the iron' — household device
Cole bought a new steam iron because the old one kept leaving water stains on his trousers.
compound: 'steam iron'
The hotel room had an iron and an ironing board inside the wardrobe for guests to use.
A travel iron is small enough to fit inside a suitcase and comes in handy for business trips.
- electric iron
- steam iron
- travel iron
- plug in the iron
- heat up the iron
- flatiron
older term for a traditional iron heated on a stove
- steam iron
a modern iron that uses steam to remove wrinkles more easily
Grammar Patterns
a/the NOUN
electric/steam NOUN
Usage Note
Often paired with 'ironing board' — the two items are frequently mentioned together. 'Iron' in this sense is always a countable noun.
3. a type of golf club with a thin metal head shaped like a flat blade, used to hit
a type of golf club with a thin metal head shaped like a flat blade, used to hit the ball a medium or short distance with accuracy; each one has a number (3-iron, 5-iron, 7-iron, etc.) indicating the angle of the head
Élise pulled out her seven-iron and took a careful swing at the ball sitting on the fairway.
numbered club: 'seven-iron'
Tara's golf bag contained three woods, eight irons, and a putter for different situations on the course.
Lan used a five-iron for the shot because the flag was about one hundred and fifty metres away.
Femi dropped his nine-iron into the lake by accident and had to fish it out with a long rake.
- five-iron
- seven-iron
- nine-iron
- set of irons
- hit with an iron
- wood
a golf club with a larger, rounded head for long-distance shots
Grammar Patterns
a NOUN
five-iron / seven-iron / pitching NOUN
Usage Note
Golf irons are numbered from 1 (lowest angle, longest distance) to 9 (highest angle, shortest distance). They are distinguished from 'woods' (clubs with larger, rounded heads for long-distance shots).
Common Mistakes
4. the physical metal rings, bands, or shackles that lock around a person's wrists
the physical metal rings, bands, or shackles that lock around a person's wrists or ankles to restrain them — the actual restraining devices themselves rather than the condition of being bound
The blacksmith hammered the irons onto the prisoner's ankles while the guard held him still.
plural form 'irons' for shackles
Justin winced as the heavy leg irons rubbed against his skin with every step he took along the dusty road.
The museum display showed a set of eighteenth-century irons used to keep convicts chained together during transport.
Folake noticed that the old portrait showed the man standing proudly despite the irons on his wrists.
- leg irons
- a set of irons
- remove the irons
- strike off the irons
Grammar Patterns
plural NOUN — always 'irons' in this sense
Usage Note
Always in the plural form 'irons' — the singular 'iron' is not used for this meaning. Refers to the tangible physical objects (the metal rings or bands themselves), not the condition of being restrained (which is expressed by the idiom 'in irons').
Common Mistakes
5. great physical or mental strength, toughness, or firmness that does not bend or
great physical or mental strength, toughness, or firmness that does not bend or break under pressure — used in phrases like 'an iron will', 'nerves of iron', or 'a will of iron'
Sari's grandmother faced every difficulty in life with an iron will and never once complained about her hardships.
phrase: 'an iron will'
You need nerves of iron to work as an emergency surgeon in a busy city hospital.
phrase: 'nerves of iron'
The old general ruled the camp with iron discipline, expecting every soldier to be ready at sunrise.
Cole admired the iron determination that kept his brother training every morning even through the winter cold.
- will of iron
- nerves of iron
- iron will
- iron discipline
- iron determination
- weakness
lack of strength or determination
Grammar Patterns
NOUN of NOUN — 'an iron will' / 'nerves of iron' / 'iron discipline'
Usage Note
This sense appears almost exclusively in fixed metaphorical phrases — 'an iron will', 'nerves of iron', 'iron discipline', 'a will of iron', 'iron resolve'. It is rarely used with the indefinite article outside these patterns.
Common Mistakes
irons — adjective
- ironspositive
- more ironscomparative
- most ironssuperlative
1. made of the metal iron or relating to the use of iron in construction or manufac
made of the metal iron or relating to the use of iron in construction or manufacturing
A tall iron gate separated the garden from the busy street outside the house.
attributive: 'iron gate'
Heloísa's apartment had beautiful iron balconies that were painted black and decorated with flower boxes.
The museum kept the ancient tools in a room with thick iron bars across every window for security.
Tara ran her hand along the cold iron railing as she climbed the steps of the old lighthouse.
- iron gate
- iron bars
- iron railing
- iron fence
- iron door
- iron bridge
- ferrous
technical term for iron-containing materials
- wrought-iron
a specific type of decorative ironwork
Grammar Patterns
NOUN + 'iron' as modifier — 'iron gate'
Usage Note
This is a relational adjective — it does not have comparative or superlative forms. You cannot say 'more iron gate' or 'most iron gate'. Use 'made of iron' as a predicative alternative.
Common Mistakes
2. having the colour, hardness, or appearance of iron — describing something that l
having the colour, hardness, or appearance of iron — describing something that looks grey like iron, feels hard like iron, or has a metallic quality
The sky turned an iron grey just before the storm, and the clouds hung low over the hills.
compound colour: 'iron grey'
Élise touched the wall and found it iron-cold, as if the winter air had frozen the stone.
The soil in that region had an iron-red tint from the high mineral content in the ground.
Femi sharpened the blade until its surface had an iron gleam under the workshop light.
- iron-grey
- iron-hard
- iron-cold
- iron-black
- iron-red
- iron-gleam
- metallic
broader term covering any metal-like appearance
- steel-grey
similar shade reference but specifically like steel
Grammar Patterns
'iron-grey', 'iron-hard' — compound adjectives
Usage Note
Often used in compound adjectives describing colour: 'iron-grey', 'iron-black', 'iron-red'. These are descriptive, not literal — they indicate resemblance, not actual iron content.
3. extremely strong, firm, and unyielding in character or behaviour — used to descr
extremely strong, firm, and unyielding in character or behaviour — used to describe people, rules, or control that are harsh, strict, or impossible to change or break
The headteacher ran the school with an iron fist, and students knew better than to argue with her decisions.
figurative: 'iron fist' meaning harsh control
Justin's iron grip on the handlebars kept the bike steady as he rode down the steep rocky path.
The company imposed iron rules about punctuality, and anyone arriving late faced an automatic fine.
Eli could not change his uncle’s mind because the old man had an iron will.
- iron fist
- iron grip
- iron will
- iron rule
- iron determination
- iron discipline
- steely
similar figurative meaning but slightly less harsh
- unyielding
focuses on the refusal to change or bend
- inflexible
often negative, suggesting unreasonable stiffness
- flexible
able to change or adapt easily
Grammar Patterns
'iron fist', 'iron grip', 'iron will' — figurative compounds
Usage Note
Always figurative in this sense — it describes human qualities or systems, not physical objects. Common in fixed collocations: 'iron fist', 'iron grip', 'iron rule', 'iron will'. Frequently carries a connotation of harshness or inflexibility.
Common Mistakes
irons — verb
- ironspresent simple I / you / we / they
- ironses3rd person singular
- ironsing-ing form
- ironsedpast simple
1. to make clothes or cloth smooth and flat by using a heated tool with a flat meta
to make clothes or cloth smooth and flat by using a heated tool with a flat metal base that you slide across the fabric
Maeve ironed her white blouse carefully before the job interview, making sure every crease was gone.
transitive: 'ironed her white blouse'
Lan spent Sunday morning ironing his shirts while listening to music on the radio.
The hotel laundry service will iron your suit and have it ready by eight o'clock tomorrow morning.
Sari hates ironing curtains because they are so long and awkward to lay flat on the board.
- iron a shirt
- iron clothes
- iron out
- ironing board
- ironing basket
- press
more formal, often used in professional laundry contexts
- crumple
to create wrinkles, the opposite of removing them
Grammar Patterns
iron + noun (clothes/shirt/trousers)
iron something out
Usage Note
When the object is clear from context, the verb can be used alone without an object: 'I need to iron before the trip.' The phrasal verb 'iron out' means to solve a problem, not to make clothes smooth.
Common Mistakes
2. to put metal chains or rings around a person's wrists or ankles to restrain them
to put metal chains or rings around a person's wrists or ankles to restrain them, or to fasten someone or something to a fixed object using such restraints
The captured mutineers were ironed and kept in the ship's hold until they reached the harbour.
passive: 'were ironed'
Tariq read about the old practice of ironing convicts to the walls of their cells for extra punishment.
According to the diary, the guard ironed each prisoner to a wooden bar before allowing them to sleep.
The prisoner was ironed to the cell wall and left there for three days without food.
- iron a prisoner
- ironed to the wall
- legs were ironed
Grammar Patterns
be ironed — 'the prisoners were ironed'
iron someone/something to something
Usage Note
Very rare in modern everyday English; mostly found in historical texts, novels set in the 18th–19th centuries, or formal descriptions of historical punishments. The passive form ('were ironed') is more common than the active.
3. to cover, strengthen, or decorate something by fitting it with strips, plates, o
to cover, strengthen, or decorate something by fitting it with strips, plates, or fittings made of iron
The wooden warship was ironed with thick metal plates to protect it from enemy cannon fire.
passive: 'was ironed with'
Craftsmen ironed the edges of the treasure chest with strips of metal before fitting the lock.
The old church door had been ironed with heavy bands and studs that were still visible after centuries.
The blacksmith ironed the wagon wheels with sturdy bands before the long journey west.
- ironed with metal
- iron a door
- ironed chest
- ironed ship
- strip
to remove metal covering
Grammar Patterns
be ironed with — 'the door was ironed with strips'
Usage Note
Almost entirely historical or technical — this sense appears in descriptions of medieval armour, shipbuilding, or furniture-making. In modern English, 'reinforce with iron' or 'fit with iron' is preferred.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Iron is a specific metallic element (Fe), while 'metal' is the broad category that includes iron, gold, copper, and aluminium — use 'metal' when the exact composition does not matter. 'Steel' is an alloy made from iron and carbon that is stronger and harder than pure iron; if you are describing tools, bridges, or knives, steel is often the more accurate word. 'Cast iron' is a specific iron alloy that is poured into moulds; it is heavy, brittle, and used for things like pipes and frying pans. 'Ferrous metal' is a technical term for any metal that contains iron — mechanics and recyclers use it to distinguish iron-based metals from non-ferrous ones like copper or aluminium. For everyday objects around the house, say 'iron gate' or 'iron pan' when you know the material; say 'metal' if you are unsure of the exact type.
Common collocations
Nouns
- iron ore
- iron deficiency
- iron fist
- iron will
Phrases
- in irons
- nerves of iron
- will of iron
- strike while the iron is hot
- iron out
Prepositions
- in irons
- made of iron
- ironed to
Etymology
Old English 'īren' (the metal), from Proto-Germanic '*īsarną', borrowed from Celtic '*īsarno-' (holy/mighty metal). The word has existed in English since before the 9th century. The verb sense 'to press with an iron' appeared in the 17th century when household smoothing irons became common. The figurative adjective meaning 'strong, unyielding' (as in 'iron will') dates from the 16th century. The plural noun 'irons' for shackles developed naturally from the material used to make them.
First known use
12th century
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Adjective