irons
C1Formal (golf/sports); Informal (general tools/restraints); Everyday (household appliance).
Definition
Meaning
Golf: a category of clubs with metal heads, typically with angled faces, designed for shots from the fairway, rough, or tee.
General: plural of 'iron', referring to implements made of the metal iron, such as tools, restraints, or branding devices. Also refers to household clothes irons (flatirons).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a plural noun, meaning depends heavily on context: 1) Golf clubs (most specific). 2) Tools/shackles (historical/literary). 3) Household appliances for pressing clothes (common, but often 'an iron' for singular). Avoid confusion with the uncountable metal 'iron'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In golf, terminology is identical. For household appliances, BrE might specify 'a steam iron' or just 'an iron'. The phrase 'in irons' (shackled) is equally literary in both. 'Strike while the iron is hot' is identical.
Connotations
Golf: technical, sport-specific. Tools/restraints: historical, punitive, heavy. Household: domestic, routine.
Frequency
Highest frequency in golf contexts. The household meaning is common but usually as singular 'iron'. The 'shackles' meaning is low-frequency and literary.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] uses/swings/selects irons[Subject] is/shackled/held in irons[Subject] heats/plugs in the ironsVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Strike while the iron is hot”
- “Have too many irons in the fire”
- “In irons (sailing: stuck head-to-wind)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except metaphorically: 'We have several irons in the fire for the merger.'
Academic
Historical/Literary studies: 'prisoners kept in irons'; Materials science: 'properties of cast irons'.
Everyday
Primarily golf: 'He needs new irons.' Or household: 'The irons are in the laundry cupboard.'
Technical
Golf equipment specification: 'Forged cavity-back irons.' Metallurgy: 'white irons vs. grey irons.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He irons his shirts meticulously.
- She was ironing the creases out.
American English
- He needs to iron his pants before the meeting.
- She spent the morning ironing.
adjective
British English
- The iron bridge stood for centuries.
- She has an iron will.
American English
- They toured the iron furnace historic site.
- He maintained an iron grip.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I put the irons in the laundry room.
- These old irons are very heavy.
- He bought a new set of golf irons.
- In the past, prisoners were sometimes kept in irons.
- Her bag contained a driver, a hybrid, and nine precision irons.
- The blacksmith carefully arranged his hot irons on the rack.
- Forgiving cavity-back irons are recommended for mid-handicap players to improve their strike consistency.
- The historical exhibit featured the barbaric irons used to restrain captives during the colonial era.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
IRONS = Implement Requiring One's Nervous Swing (golf). Or: Ironing Never Stops (household).
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROL IS HOLDING IRONS (e.g., 'too many irons in the fire'); CONSTRAINT/OPPRESSION IS BEING IN IRONS.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as just 'железо' (the metal) in golf/household contexts. For golf, use 'айроны' or 'железные клюшки'. For household, use 'утюг/утюги'. 'In irons' (shackles) is not 'в утюгах', but 'в кандалах/цепях'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'an irons' (incorrect article for plural). Confusing 'irons' (clubs) with 'Iron' (the metal, uncountable). Saying 'I play with iron' instead of 'I play with irons/my irons'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'irons' NOT typically refer to a tool or implement?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'irons' is strictly plural. The singular is 'an iron' (one golf club, one household appliance).
Irons have solid metal heads and are for precision and control from various lies. Woods (now often made of metal) have larger, rounded heads for maximum distance from the tee or fairway.
Specifically, 'irons' refers to shackles or fetters for the wrists or ankles, typically made of metal. It's a subset of 'chains', with a more restrictive, punitive connotation.
Because it's a fixed phrase with a specific, non-literal meaning: a sailboat is 'in irons' when it is pointed directly into the wind and loses forward momentum, unable to turn—metaphorically 'stuck'.
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