irons
Definition
Noun 1. Metal shackles; for hands or legs: A plural noun referring to a restraint device, typically made of metal, used to bind a person's wrists or ankles together, often as a means of imprisonment or punishment.
Usage Examples
- The prisoner was led away in irons.
- In the old dungeon, we saw rusted irons still attached to the wall.
- The captain ordered the mutineers to be put in irons.
Advanced Usage
- To clap/put someone in irons: This is a fixed phrase meaning to place someone in shackles.
- The guards were ordered to clap the troublemaker in irons.
- To be in irons: This phrase describes the state of being shackled.
- The captive spent three days in irons before his trial.
Variants and Related Words
- Iron (noun, singular): The material from which shackles are made; also a tool for pressing clothes.
- Shackles (noun, plural): A direct synonym for "irons" in this context.
- Fetters (noun, plural): A literary synonym for leg irons or shackles.
- Manacles (noun, plural): Specifically refers to shackles for the hands.
Synonyms
- Shackles
- Fetters
- Manacles
- Bonds
- Chains (when used as restraints)
Related Phrases
- To strike while the iron is hot: (Idiom) To act decisively at the most opportune moment. (Note: This idiom uses "iron" in its material sense, not related to shackles).
- Iron fist: (Idiom) A metaphor for strict, authoritarian control.
- He ruled the company with an iron fist.
Notes on Meaning
The word "irons" in this specific sense is almost always used in the plural form. The singular "iron" does not typically refer to a single shackle but to the material. This meaning is now primarily historical or literary, as modern restraints are more commonly called "handcuffs" or "leg cuffs."
Noun
-
metal shackles; for hands or legs
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