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Iron

1. to smooth with an instrument of iron; especially, to smooth, as cloth, with a heated flatiron; sometimes used with out.

2. to shackle with irons; to fetter or handcuff. Ironed like a malefactor.

3. to furnish or arm with iron; as, to iron a wagon.

Origin: Ironed; Ironing.

1. Of, or made of iron; consisting of iron; as, an iron bar, dust.

2. Resembling iron in colour; as, iron blackness.

3. Like iron in hardness, strength, impenetrability, power of endurance, insensibility, etc.; as:

Rude; hard; harsh; severe. Iron years of wars and dangers. (Rowe) Jove crushed the nations with an iron rod. (Pope)

Firm; robust; enduring; as, an iron constitution.

Inflexible; unrelenting; as, an iron will.

Not to be broken; holding or binding fast; tenacious. Him death's iron sleep oppressed.

iron is often used in composition, denoting made of iron, relating to iron, of or with iron; producing iron, etc.; resembling iron, literally or figuratively, in some of its properties or characteristics; as, iron-shod, iron-sheathed, iron-fisted, iron-framed, iron-handed, iron-hearted, iron foundry or iron-foundry. Iron age.

Common pyrites, or pyrite. See pyrites. Iron sand, an iron ore in grains, usually the magnetic iron ore, formerly used to sand paper after writing. Iron scale, the thin film which on the surface of wrought iron in the process of forging. It consists essentially of the magnetic oxide of iron, Fe3O4