Meanings
present singular third person strikes while the iron is hot · participle present striking while the iron is hot · participle past struck while the iron is hot · past struck while the iron is hot
- literallyblacksmithingengineeringTo 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.
Synonyms: make hay while the sun shines, take time by the forelock
- idiomaticTo act on an opportunity promptly while favorable conditions exist; to avoid waiting.
We should strike while the iron is hot and order some immediately, before they change the offer.
1 more example
The Gap thus stopp'd, with her Army she marcheth to the Cage that kept those Birds, whose Wings she would be clipping. She knew if she struck not while the Iron was hot, the heat of a popular Faction would quickly sink and lessen.
c. 1620s, Elizabeth Cary [misattributed to Henry Cary], The History Of the most unfortunate Prince King Edward II. […] , London: A.G. and F. P., published 1680, page 41
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo 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.
Origin
The adage originates from the common craft of blacksmithing. It appears in Chaucer's The Tale of Melibee, "right so as whil that iren is hoot men sholden smyte". (Harvard) It gained additional meaning when used as a motto by Joseph Paisley - a blacksmith at Gretna Green who married eloping couples at his anvil. (History in the Margins)
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Cantonese 趁熱打鐵 /趁热打铁, 打鐵趁熱 /打铁趁热
- 趁熱打鐵 /趁热打铁 (can³ jit⁶ daa² tit³)act on an opportunity promptly
- 打鐵趁熱 /打铁趁热 (daa² tit³ can³ jit⁶)act on an opportunity promptly
Chinese Mandarin 趁熱打鐵 /趁热打铁, 打鐵趁熱 /打铁趁热
- 趁熱打鐵 /趁热打铁 (chènrè-dǎtiě)act on an opportunity promptly
- 打鐵趁熱 /打铁趁热 (dǎtiě-chènrè)act on an opportunity promptly
Czech kout železo, dokud je žhavé, kuj železo, dokud je žhavé
- kout železo, dokud je žhavéact on an opportunity promptly
- kuj železo, dokud je žhavéact on an opportunity promptly
Danish smede mens jernet er varmt
- smede mens jernet er varmtact on an opportunity promptly
Dutch het ijzer smeden als het heet is
- het ijzer smeden als het heet isact on an opportunity promptly
Finnish takoa kun rauta on kuumaa
- takoa kun rauta on kuumaaact on an opportunity promptly
French il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud
- il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaudact on an opportunity promptly
German man muss das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß ist
- man muss das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß istact on an opportunity promptly
Greek στη βράση κολλάει το σίδερο
- στη βράση κολλάει το σίδερο (sti vrási kolláei to sídero)act on an opportunity promptly
Hebrew הכה בברזל בעודו חם
- הכה בברזל בעודו חםact on an opportunity promptly
Hindi लोहा गरम हैं. मार दो हथौड़ा.
- लोहा गरम हैं. मार दो हथौड़ा. (lohā garam ha͠i. mār do hathauṛā.)act on an opportunity promptly
Hungarian addig üsd a vasat, amíg meleg
- addig üsd a vasat, amíg melegact on an opportunity promptly
Irish buail an t-iarann te
- buail an t-iarann teact on an opportunity promptly
Italian battere il ferro finché è caldo
- battere il ferro finché è caldoact on an opportunity promptly
Japanese 善は急げ, 膳は急げ
- 善は急げ (zen wa isoge)act on an opportunity promptly
- 膳は急げ (zen wa isoge)act on an opportunity promptly
- 鉄は熱いうちに打て (tetsu wa atsui uchi ni ute)act on an opportunity promptly
Korean 쇠뿔도 단김에 빼랬다
- 쇠뿔도 단김에 빼랬다 (soeppuldo dan'gime ppaeraetda)act on an opportunity promptly
Lithuanian kalti geležį, kol ji karšta
- kalti geležį, kol ji karštaact on an opportunity promptly
Norwegian smi mens jernet er varmt
- smi mens jernet er varmtact on an opportunity promptly
Polish kuć żelazo, póki gorące
- kuć żelazo, póki gorąceact on an opportunity promptly
Portuguese malhar enquanto o ferro está quente
- malhar enquanto o ferro está quenteact on an opportunity promptly
Romanian bate fierul cât e cald
- bate fierul cât e caldact on an opportunity promptly
Russian куй желе́зо, пока́ горячо́
- куй желе́зо, пока́ горячо́ (kuj želézo, poká gorjačó)act on an opportunity promptly
Spanish al hierro caliente batir de repente, batir el hierro cuando está al rojo
- al hierro caliente batir de repenteact on an opportunity promptly
- batir el hierro cuando está al rojoact on an opportunity promptly
Swedish smida medan järnet är varmt
- smida medan järnet är varmtact on an opportunity promptly
Thai ตีเหล็กเมื่อแดง กินแกงเมื่อร้อน
- ตีเหล็กเมื่อแดง กินแกงเมื่อร้อน (dtii-lèk-mʉ̂ʉa-dɛɛng-gin-gɛɛng-mʉ̂ʉa-rɔ́ɔn)act on an opportunity promptly
Turkish demir tavında dövülür
- demir tavında dövülüract on an opportunity promptly
Cite this entry
strike while the iron is hot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20while%20the%20iron%20is%20hot
“strike while the iron is hot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20while%20the%20iron%20is%20hot. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “strike while the iron is hot,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20while%20the%20iron%20is%20hot.
Source: strike while the iron is hot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.