flat-iron

She uses the flat-iron to press her shirt.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A tool used for pressing clothes, typically consisting of a flat, triangular metal base with a handle, heated and used to remove wrinkles.
   • Synonym: clothes iron, smoothing iron.

Usage Examples

• (A traditional iron used for smoothing fabric.)
• (An old-fashioned pressing tool.)

Advanced Usage

• "to wield a flat-iron": to use the tool for ironing.
  • In the 19th century, people would wield a flat-iron over a fire to warm it. (They would heat the iron before use.)

Variants and Related Words

• Flatiron (noun): a variant spelling, often used as a proper noun in place names (e.g., the Flatiron Building in New York City).
  • The Flatiron Building is a famous triangular skyscraper. (A building shaped like a flat-iron.)

Synonyms

• Clothes iron: a modern device for pressing clothes, often electric.
• Smoothing iron: a general term for any tool used to press fabric.

Related Idioms

• "to have a flat-iron on one’s back": an old-fashioned expression meaning to carry a heavy burden.
  • He felt like he had a flat-iron on his back after working all day. (He felt weighed down by his tasks.)