iron

Everyday

1. Iron is a strong, hard, grey metal used to make steel, tools, gates and railings. tree →
2. An iron is a household tool with a flat hot bottom that you press on clothes to make them smooth. tree →
3. To iron clothes is to make them smooth with an iron. tree →
4. Iron is also a mineral your body needs in its blood, found in foods like spinach, red meat and beans. tree →
5. Iron can also describe something very strong, hard or cruel, like an iron grip. tree →

In the lessons

In science, iron is a chemical element (symbol Fe); it is magnetic, and it rusts when wet and in air. Magnets attract iron. In health lessons, iron helps blood carry oxygen. At home, a hot iron can burn: never touch the flat part and unplug it after use. Phrases: iron out (solve problems), an iron will, the Iron Age, cast iron.

Examples

• Magnets pick up iron nails. tree →
• The gate is made of iron. tree →
• Mum irons my school shirt on Sunday night. tree →
• Be careful, the iron is very hot! tree →
• Spinach has iron in it. tree →
• Iron rusts if you leave it out in the rain. tree →
• In the Iron Age people made tools from iron. tree →
• Dad is ironing his trousers. tree →
• But an iron claw gripped his shoulder. tree →

Note

Pronounced «EYE-ern» in most of the world (the r is silent in British English). Iron the metal is uncountable; an iron (the tool) is countable. Not all metals are magnetic: iron, nickel and steel are; aluminium and copper are not. Rust is iron oxide.

In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: In the Torah iron is one of the metals that must be purified in fire when taken as war spoil. Moses blesses Asher with bars of iron and brass, and the curses say the earth will turn hard as iron when people turn away from God. In the primary lessons: In science, iron is a chemical element (symbol Fe); it is magnetic, and it rusts when wet and in air. Magnets attract iron. In health lessons, iron helps blood carry oxygen. At home, a hot iron can burn: never touch the flat part and unplug it after use. Phrases: iron out (solve problems), an iron will, the Iron Age, cast iron.

Examples

• Howbeit the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, (Torah NUM.31.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• Iron and brass shall be thy bars; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. (Torah DEU.33.25, JPS 1917) tree →
• And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. (Torah DEU.28.23, JPS 1917) tree →
• Can iron break iron from the north and brass? (Prophets JER.15.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. (Writings JOB.41.19, JPS 1917) tree →
• His feet they hurt with fetters, his person was laid in iron; (Writings PSA.105.18, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Pronounced «EYE-ern» in most of the world (the r is silent in British English). Iron the metal is uncountable; an iron (the tool) is countable. Not all metals are magnetic: iron, nickel and steel are; aluminium and copper are not. Rust is iron oxide.