iron - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

Iron can refer to a common metal. It can also be that thing you use to get wrinkles out of your clothing. If you’re planning to wear linen, you might need an iron to smooth it out.

When you use an iron to iron your clothes, you’re also using both the noun and verb form of iron. The noun describes the appliance and the verb describes the action of using it. Iron can also refer to a golf club, like that 5-iron you always use. If you’ve ever been a cattle rancher, you might also be familiar with a branding iron, a tool used to brand skin with a mark of ownership.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: iron

1	n adj	a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood extremely robust
2	n v	home appliance consisting of a flat metal base that is heated and used to smooth cloth press and smooth with a heated iron
3	n	a golf club that has a relatively narrow metal head

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: iron

1

n a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood

Synonyms:: Fe, atomic number 26

Types:: show 18 types...; hide 18 types...; alpha iron
a magnetic allotrope of iron; stable below 906 degrees centigrade; beta iron
an allotrope of iron that is the same as alpha iron except that it is nonmagnetic; stable between 768 and 906 degrees centigrade; gamma iron
a nonmagnetic allotrope of iron that is the basis of austenite; stable between 906 and 1403 degrees centigrade; delta iron
an allotrope of iron that is stable between 1403 degrees centigrade and the melting point (= 1532 degrees); ingot iron
iron of high purity; cast iron
an alloy of iron containing so much carbon that it is brittle and so cannot be wrought but must be shaped by casting; wrought iron
iron having a low carbon content that is tough and malleable and so can be forged and welded; galvanized iron
iron that is coated with zinc to protect it from rust; pig iron
crude iron tapped from a blast furnace; scrap iron
iron to be melted again and reworked; structural iron
iron that has been cast or worked in structural shapes; alloy cast iron, alloy iron
cast iron containing alloying elements (usually nickel or chromium or copper or molybdenum) to increase the strength or facilitate heat treatment; basic iron
pig iron containing a high percentage of phosphorus; used in making steel by a process that removes the phosphorus; pot metal
cast iron used for making cooking wares; cinder pig
pig iron containing a substantial proportion of slag; mine pig
pig iron made entirely from ore; spiegel, spiegel iron, spiegeleisen
pig iron containing manganese; used as a deoxidizing agent and to raise the manganese content in making steel; Swedish iron
wrought iron of high purity made in Sweden

Type of:: metal, metallic element
any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.

adj extremely robust

“an iron constitution”

Synonyms:: cast-iron

: robust
sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction

2

n home appliance consisting of a flat metal base that is heated and used to smooth cloth

Synonyms:: smoothing iron

Types:: show 4 types...; hide 4 types...; flatiron
an iron that was heated by placing it on a stove; gauffer, gauffering iron, goffer, goffering iron
an iron used to press pleats and ridges; steam iron
a pressing iron that can emit steam; travel iron
a small lightweight iron that can be carried while traveling

Type of:: home appliance, household appliance
an appliance that does a particular job in the home

n implement used to brand live stock

Synonyms:: branding iron

Type of:: implement
instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end

v press and smooth with a heated iron

“she stood there ironing”

Synonyms:: iron out, press

Types:: mangle
press with a mangle

Type of:: press
place between two surfaces and apply weight or pressure

3

n a golf club that has a relatively narrow metal head

Types:: show 11 types...; hide 11 types...; driving iron, one iron
(golf) the long iron with the most nearly vertical face; long iron
an iron with a long shaft and a steep face; for hitting long low shots; five iron, mashie
middle-distance iron; mashie niblick, seven iron
iron with a lofted face for hitting high shots to the green; midiron, two iron
long iron with a nearly vertical face; niblick, nine iron
an iron with considerable loft; putter, putting iron
the iron normally used on the putting green; short iron
an iron with a short shaft and pitched face; for hitting short high shots; wedge
(golf) an iron with considerable loft and a broad sole; pitching wedge
a wedge used to loft the golf ball over obstacles; sand wedge
a wedge used to get out of sand traps

Type of:: club, golf club, golf-club
golf equipment used by a golfer to hit a golf ball