strike the iron while it's hot

A form of strike while the iron is hot — To strike a hot piece of metal, especially iron, with a mallet or other tool before it cools, while it is still hot enough to be shaped.

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Meanings

verbstrike the iron while it's hot (third-person singular simple present strikes the iron while it's hot, present participle striking the iron while it's hot, simple past and past participle struck the iron while it's hot)

present singular third person strikes the iron while it's hot · participle present striking the iron while it's hot · participle past struck the iron while it's hot · past struck the iron while it's hot

  1. alternativeAlternative form of strike while the iron is hot.

    With the thought, the deed begin it, Act at once, — upon the spot; What you'd gain, the way to win it, Strike the iron while it's hot!

    1858, Joseph Edwards Carpenter, “Strike The Iron While It's Hot”, in The Book of Modern Songs, page 37
    1 more example

    'Ere the thieves will out with their booty/And to all give a happier lot,/Each at the forge must do his duty/And strike the iron while it's hot!

    1875, Eugène Pottier, “The Internationale”, Pierre De Geyter (music)
Cite this entry
APA

strike the iron while it's hot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20the%20iron%20while%20it's%20hot

MLA

“strike the iron while it's hot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20the%20iron%20while%20it's%20hot. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “strike the iron while it's hot,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20the%20iron%20while%20it's%20hot.

Source: strike the iron while it's hot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.