1. U 铁　 common hard silver white metallic element capable of being magnetized and used in various forms
2. C 熨斗　 a heavy object with a flat bottom and a handle on top, shaped in a point at the front, which is heated, usually electrically, and used for making cloth and clothes smooth
3. U 坚强，刚强；冷酷　 physical strength or moral firmness or harshness

　attract ～　吸引铁
　cast ～　铸铁
　collect ～　收集铁
　contain ～　含铁
　forge ～　打铁
　hammer ～　打铁
　have many ～s in the fire　同时要做的事太多
　lay every ～ in the fire　使用种种手段
　melt ～　熔化铁
　mine ～　开采铁矿
　mould ～　铸铁
　plug in an ～　使熨斗插上插头
　press with ～　用熨斗熨烫
　put all ～s in the fire　使用种种手段
　put sb in ～s　给某人上镣铐
　roll ～　轧铁，卷铁板
　smelt ～　炼铁
　strike ～　打铁
　unplug an ～　给熨斗拔掉电源插头
　use ～　用熨斗
　wear leg ～s　戴脚镣
　corrugated ～　瓦楞铁
　electric ～　电熨斗
　molten ～　铁水
　rusty ～　生锈的铁
　wrought ～　锻铁，熟铁
　branding ～　烙铁，火印
　cast ～　铸铁
　climbing ～　（登山靴上的）铁钉助爬器，上杆脚扣
　curling ～　烫发钳
　fire ～s　炉子的生火用具
　pig ～　生铁
　scrap ～　废铁
　sheet ～　铁板
　steam ～　蒸气熨斗
　～ bar　铁棒
　～ dust　铁屑
　～ hand　高压政策统治
　～ ore　铁矿石
　～ oxide　氧化铁
　～ will　钢铁般的意志
　in ～　从事铁业
　worker in ～　铁匠
　in ～s　戴着镣铐
　man of ～　意志坚强的人，严酷无情的人
　rule with a rod of ～　施行高压政策
　with ～　用熨斗熨烫

　The iron has lost its magnetic force.　这块铁已失去了磁力。
　Cast iron is apt to break.　生铁容易折断。
　The foundry smelts iron.　这个铸工厂熔铸铁。
　Gold is distinct from iron.　金在性质上不同于铁。
　This food is deficient in iron.　这种食物缺乏铁。
　The assay result of that material is rich in iron.　化验结果表明那种物质含铁量丰富。
　The production of iron took three years to climb to 500,000 tons.　用了三年，铁产量上升到50万吨。
　The small city has its own iron works and gas works.　这个小城市已有自己的铁厂和煤气厂。
　He was in irons.　他戴上了镣铐。
　An iron has a handle and a flat metal base.　熨斗有个把柄和一个金属平底座。
　Materials are all washable and none or minimum iron.　料子可以洗，但勿用熨斗熨，或尽量少烫。
　She is ironing a shirt with an electric iron.　她在用电熨斗熨衬衣。
　She quickly withdrew her hand from the hot iron.　她很快地将手从很烫的熨斗上缩了回来。
　Mary has nerves of iron.　玛丽沉着果敢。
　In him they saw a leader with a will of iron. They took heart.　他们看出他是个有钢铁意志的领导人，他们感到非常鼓舞。
　It is pitiful to see that the life of an animal in a zoo is spent in an locked iron cage.　看到动物园里的动物一生都被关在铁笼子里，真是令人可怜。

 ♣ have several irons in the fire
　同时有好几件事情要做　be involved in several activities at once
　John had a number of irons in the fire, and he managed to keep all of them hot.　约翰要做许多事情，并且设法把它们做得很好。
　Don't worry about the failure of Gerald's company, he has several other irons in the fire.　别为杰拉尔德公司的破产而担心，他同时在干好几件事。
 ♣ iron hand in a velvet glove
　外柔内刚；口蜜腹剑地　ruthlessness that is disguised by an outward appearance of gentleness
　I think that she has an iron hand in a velvet glove.　我认为她是一个外柔内刚的人。
　Many of the so-called liberal dictators of African nations rule using an iron hand in a velvet glove.　非洲国家的许多所谓自由主义独裁者们往往采用口蜜腹剑的方法进行统治。
 ♣ man of iron
　性格刚强的人　sb with great strength of character
　It takes a man of iron to resist some of the temptations that go with an important job like that.　一个意志坚强的人才能抵制住那项重要工作带来的某些诱惑。
 ♣ rule with a rod of iron
　严加管理；控制得很严　govern (sth such as a group) in a very severe way
　She rules her husband with a rod of iron.　她严厉管束她的丈夫。
　He ruled the country with a rod of iron.　他对国家实行铁腕统治。
　The dean ruled his department with a rod of iron.　系主任对本系的管理非常严格。
　John is ruled by his wife with a rod of iron.　约翰被他的妻子严加管束。
　A small kingdom ruled by herself with a rod of iron was what she liked.　她所喜欢的是一个由她自己实施铁腕统治的小王国。
 ♣ strike while the iron is hot
　趁热打铁　take an opportunity while it presents itself
　He wanted a quick decision so I decided to strike while the iron was hot and told him I accepted his terms.　他希望当机立断，因此，我决定趁热打铁，对他说我接受他的条件。
 ♣ with an iron hand
　严厉地　ruthlessly
　Keven rules his family with an iron hand and even his wife seems afraid of him at times.　凯温以铁腕统治他的家庭，结果连他的妻子有时似乎也怕他。

 ♣ in iron, in irons
　两者意思不同：in iron的意思是“从事铁业”；而in irons的意思是“戴着镣铐”。例如：

 ♣ irons, fetters, handcuffs
　这三个词都可表示刑具。其区别在于：irons主要指“脚镣或手铐”; fetters则专指“脚镣”; handcuffs常指“手铐”。例如：
　The prisoner was put in irons.　那个罪犯被戴上了镣铐。
　The black leader was in fetters behind the bars.　这位黑人领袖在铁窗里，戴着脚镣。
　Handcuffs were put on her wrists when the arrest warrant was shown to her.　给她看了逮捕证，随即给她戴上手铐。
 ♣ 下面三个短语意思不同：

　钢铁工业正在发展。
　［误］ Iron and steel industry are developing.
　［正］ Iron and steel industry is developing.
　钢和铁的产量都在增长。
　［误］ Iron and steel outputs is increasing.
　［正］ Iron and steel outputs are increasing.
　［析］ iron and steel作为一个固定短语“钢铁”，不管是作复合名词还是作形容词，动词都要用单数；但如果把iron和steel作为两个不同的内涵，就要求用复数动词。

　vt. & vi.熨平 make clothing smooth and flat with a hot iron; smooth or press clothing with a hot iron

　～ easily　容易熨平
　～ well　易熨平
　～ out　用熨斗熨平
　～ out a shirt　熨一件衬衫
　～ out conflicting viewpoints　消除对立意见
　～ out differences　消除分歧
　～ out irregularities　使不一致处一致起来
　～ out misunderstandings　消除误解
　～ out the creases　熨平女衫的皱痕
　～ out the curves　把曲线弄直
　～ out worries　消除忧虑

　She's been ironing all afternoon.　整个下午她都在熨衣服。
　This material irons more easily when it is damp.　这种料子潮湿时，更容易熨平。
　I can't iron shirts.　我不会熨衬衫。
　She's ironing his shirt.　她正在熨他的衬衫。
　John ironed his suit in his bedroom.　约翰在他的寝室里熨衣服。
　Your shirt is already ironed.　你的衬衣已经熨好了。

 ♣ iron out　(v.+adv.)
1. 熨平 flatten cloth or folds in cloth with a hot iron
　She ironed out all the creases in the shirt.　她熨平了衬衣上的所有皱褶。
　I shall have to iron out the creases in this dress.　我得把这件连衣裙上的皱痕熨平。
　I always iron out the folds in new sheets, so that they are more comfortable to sleep in.　我总是把新床单的褶子熨平，这样躺上去就更舒服了。
　He offered to iron out the wrinkles in her dress.　他提出，要替她熨平衣服上的褶皱。
　She tried hard to iron out the wrinkles over her blouse.　她费了很大的力气才把上衣上的皱纹熨平。
2. 解决，处理；消除 remove or find an answer to sth; eliminate
　It didn't take long to iron out the difficulties.　没多久，困难解决了。
　The directors are trying to iron out the difficulties connected with the new contract.　董事们在设法解决新合同带来的种种困难。
　The House and Senate ironed out the differences between their two tax bills.　众议院和参议院消除了他们两个不同的税收提案中的分歧。
　They are experts at ironing out the problems that arise at international gatherings.　他们专门处理国际性集会上出现的问题。
　The company and its workers ironed out their differences over hours and pay.　公司和工人消除了关于工时和报酬问题上的分歧。
　The purpose of this conference is to iron out the misunderstandings between the two sides.　这次会议的目的是消除双方之间的误会。
　It's time we ironed out the causes of the disagreement once and for all.　现在是我们彻底消除引起我们之间不和的原因的时候了。
　The problem should have been ironed out months ago.　几个月前，这个问题就该解决了。
　Their misunderstandings were ironed out after a long talk.　经过长时间的交谈，他们之间的误会已经消除。
　There are no difficulties that cannot be ironed out if both parties are determined to reach an agreement.　只要双方都决心达成协议，什么困难都可以解决。
　I thought most of our problems were ironed out.　我认为，我们的大多数问题都已解决。

　她把衣服上的褶皱熨平了。
　［误］ She ironed the wrinkles in her dress.
　［正］ She ironed out the wrinkles in her dress.
　［析］ 动词iron指“熨烫衣物”，后接表示衣物、服装类的名词作宾语。但要表示“借熨烫把褶皱除去”，应该用iron out.

　［同义词］ n. flatiron, goose v. flatten, press, smooth
　［词源］　中古英语<古英语iron（铁）