Meanings
- pluralplural onlyTasks in progress; involvement in ongoing projects.
Although she plans to step back from the boards of NSAR and East West Rail, there are "a couple of other irons in the fire".
2024 January 24, Dyan Perry talks to Nick Brodrick, “The industry has given me so much”, in RAIL, number 1001, page 451 more example
“Hippo, what are you working on? I've noticed you haven't debuted anything in a while, so it must be pretty good.” “What? Wh-why would I tell you that? I don't answer to you. I have a lot of irons in the fire. In fact, I should check on 'em. I'm checking on my irons!”
2025 May 11, Monica Padrick, “Don Tyxote” (3:18 from the start), in Krapopolis, season 2, episode 21, spoken by Hippocampus (Duncan Trussell)
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
Describing a blacksmith working on several pieces at the same time.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Danish have mange jern i ilden
- have mange jern i ildenTranslations
Finnish monta rautaa tulessa
- monta rautaa tulessaTranslations
German Eisen im Feuer
- Eisen im FeuerTranslations
Icelandic hafa mörg járn í eldinum, vera ekki við eina fjölina felldur
- hafa mörg járn í eldinumTranslations
- vera ekki við eina fjölina felldurTranslations
- hafa margt í takinuTranslations
- vasast í mörguTranslations
Polish zadania
- zadaniaTranslations
Cite this entry
irons in the fire. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/irons%20in%20the%20fire
“irons in the fire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/irons%20in%20the%20fire. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “irons in the fire,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/irons%20in%20the%20fire.
Source: irons in the fire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.