Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who makes and repairs things in iron by hand: A blacksmith is a craftsperson who works with iron and steel, using tools like a hammer and anvil to forge, shape, and join metal.
   • A smith who forges iron: Specifically, a blacksmith is a type of smith whose primary material is iron, which they heat in a forge until it is malleable and then hammer into shape.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The village blacksmith made horseshoes and tools for the farmers.
  • He apprenticed with a master blacksmith to learn the traditional craft.

Advanced Usage

• "Blacksmith's shop" or "smithy": Refers to the workshop where a blacksmith works.
  • The sound of hammering came from the blacksmith's shop.
• Figurative use: Can describe someone who creates or shapes something with great effort and skill.
  • He was the blacksmith of the new policy, forging it through tough negotiations.

Variants and Related Words

• Smith (n): A general term for a worker in metal.
• Farrier (n): A specialist blacksmith who focuses on shoeing horses.
• Forge (n/v): The furnace where metal is heated (n); the act of shaping metal (v).
• Anvil (n): The heavy iron block on which a blacksmith hammers metal.

Synonyms

• Ironsmith: A less common synonym for blacksmith.
• Metalworker: A more general term for someone who works with metal.

Related Phrases

• To strike while the iron is hot: An idiom originating from blacksmithing, meaning to act decisively at the most opportune moment.
  • We have their interest now, so let's strike while the iron is hot and close the deal.

Noun

1. a smith who forges and shapes iron with a hammer and anvil