irons in the fire

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word irons in the fire. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word irons in the fire, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say irons in the fire in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word irons in the fire you have here. The definition of the word irons in the fire will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofirons in the fire, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

Describing a blacksmith working on several pieces at the same time.

Pronunciation

Noun

irons in the fire pl (plural only)

  1. Tasks in progress; involvement in ongoing projects.
    • 2024 January 24, Dyan Perry talks to Nick Brodrick, “The industry has given me so much”, in RAIL, number 1001, page 45:
      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".

Usage notes

May be used with a positive connotation, e.g. "have other irons in the fire" (other projects are available if this one fails), or with a negative connotation, e.g. "too many irons in the fire" (overwhelmed by having too many tasks).

Translations

See also