# strike while the iron is hot

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/strike-while-the-iron-is-hot
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To act on an opportunity promptly while favorable conditions exist; to avoid waiting.

## Examples

- The price is low, so strike while the iron is hot.
- The company is hiring right now, so you should apply today and strike while the iron is hot.
- Recognizing that the market conditions were perfect for expansion, the CEO decided to strike while the iron is hot before his competitors could react.

## Origin

The adage originates from the craft of blacksmithing, predicated on the necessity of shaping metal before it cools and loses its malleability. It appears in the late 14th century in Chaucer’s The Tale of Melibee, which contains the instruction, "right so as whil that iren is hoot men sholden smyte." The phrase acquired a secondary, more specific association through the activities of Joseph Paisley, a blacksmith at Gretna Green. Paisley served as a "priest" for eloping couples, performing marriage ceremonies over his anvil to accommodate those in a hurry to wed. The use of the motto in this context suggests that in matters of matrimony, as in metallurgy, delays are generally ill-advised.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.