in irons

prepositional phrase

The "trapped" condition a sailing ship finds itself in when the bow of the ship is headed into the wind and the ship has stalled and is unable to maneuver.

Similar
cold iron
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. nauticalThe "trapped" condition a sailing ship finds itself in when the bow of the ship is headed into the wind and the ship has stalled and is unable to maneuver.

    Synonyms: cold iron

  2. The state of screw-powered ships which become stalled between crests of waves or swells during a typhoon, for instance, and the ship's rudder does not respond to the commands from the helm, leaving the ship at the mercy of the sea and in danger of capsizing.

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseThe "trapped" condition a sailing ship finds itself in when the bow of the ship is headed into the wind and the ship has stalled and is unable to maneuver.

Similar
cold iron
Also see
head to wind
Cite this entry
APA

in irons. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20irons

MLA

“in irons.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20irons. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in irons,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20irons.

Source: in irons on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.