ENGLISH
REFERENCE

irons

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈaɪɝnz// UK //ˈaɪənz// irons Archaic

n. heavy tools with a flat metal base that you heat up to make clothes smooth and flat. You use them to remove wrinkles from shirts or trousers.

n. handheld appliances with a flat, heated metal surface used to press fabric and remove creases. Often used metonymically to refer to the task of pressing laundry.


SIMPLE

I need to use the iron on this shirt before the party.

CONTEXTUAL

Modern steam irons make it much easier to remove deep wrinkles from heavy cotton fabrics like denim or canvas.

COMPLEX

The transition from heavy charcoal-filled irons to lightweight electric models revolutionized domestic labor in the early twentieth century, significantly reducing the physical strain of maintaining a professional wardrobe.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used in the plural 'irons' when referring to multiple tools, though the activity is usually called 'ironing'.

Pitfall

I have much irons to doI have much ironing to doLearners often use the plural noun 'irons' to describe the task, but the activity itself is the uncountable gerund 'ironing'.

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