iron eagle
An American military officer who has attained the rank of colonel but will not be promoted to the rank of general.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He is an iron eagle who retired after thirty years of service.”
“After failing to secure a promotion to general, the colonel accepted his status as an iron eagle and focused on mentoring junior officers.”
“The career officer eventually reconciled with his position as an iron eagle, finding satisfaction in his command rather than pursuing the elusive star of a general.”
The term is a reference to the rank insignia of a colonel, which takes the form of an eagle.
- 01
bad iron
bad luck.
- 02
eagle eye
Good eyesight.
- 03
eagle out
To leave a scouting troop because one has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
- 04
eagle up
To reach the rank of Eagle Scout in Scouts BSA.
- 05
iron fist
Ruthless and usually unrestricted control.
- 06
strike while the iron is hot
To act on an opportunity promptly while favorable conditions exist; to avoid waiting.
Last updated August 10, 2026