iron out
to fix or remove a problem
TRANSLATION
iron out = ein Problem beseitigen, etwas ausbügeln --- GOOGLE INDEX iron out: approximately 700,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
People disgruntled with the new £27m visitor centre at Stonehenge have been urged to be patient while English Heritage IRONS OUT its issues.
(BBC News)
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US-Russian talks on Ukraine have not IRONED OUT the two countries’ differences, with Washington saying it won’t recognize the results of the Crimean referendum and warning of Russia sanctions, and Moscow reiterating it will respect the republic’s choice.
(Macedonian Intl News Agency)
(BBC News)
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US-Russian talks on Ukraine have not IRONED OUT the two countries’ differences, with Washington saying it won’t recognize the results of the Crimean referendum and warning of Russia sanctions, and Moscow reiterating it will respect the republic’s choice.
(Macedonian Intl News Agency)
Did you
know?
iron out
idiom, phrasal verb
- to remove problems or find solutions
(Cambridge Dictionary)
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The noun iron is from the Old English isærn, which referred to the metal or an iron weapon. Isærn in turn stems from the Proto-Germanic "isarnan," which is related to the German "Eisen."
Isarnan was a way of referring to iron as a "holy" or strong metal as opposed to the softer bronze. In the Proto-Indo-European language, the construction "is-ro" meant holy, powerful and "eis" referred to strong (related to the Greek ieros, which also means strong).
Iron, as in a metal device used to press or smooth clothes, is from the early 17th century. This was followed soon thereafter by the verb iron, which is the origin of the phrasal verb "iron out," meaning to smooth or flatten out a material.
Apart from the phrasal verb "iron out," iron is found in other useful idioms:
- too many irons in the fire = to have too many things going on at once (I can't help you out at the moment, I have too many irons in the fire)
- strike while the iron is hot = to do something before you lose the chance (This is a good time to buy a house. Strike while the iron is hot!)
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SYNONYMS
clear up, fix, patch up, resolve, settle, smooth over, smooth out, smooth out the wrinkles, sort out, straighten out
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Many international conflicts could be avoided if countries tried to iron out their differences first."
idiom, phrasal verb
- to remove problems or find solutions
(Cambridge Dictionary)
---
The noun iron is from the Old English isærn, which referred to the metal or an iron weapon. Isærn in turn stems from the Proto-Germanic "isarnan," which is related to the German "Eisen."
Isarnan was a way of referring to iron as a "holy" or strong metal as opposed to the softer bronze. In the Proto-Indo-European language, the construction "is-ro" meant holy, powerful and "eis" referred to strong (related to the Greek ieros, which also means strong).
Iron, as in a metal device used to press or smooth clothes, is from the early 17th century. This was followed soon thereafter by the verb iron, which is the origin of the phrasal verb "iron out," meaning to smooth or flatten out a material.
Apart from the phrasal verb "iron out," iron is found in other useful idioms:
- too many irons in the fire = to have too many things going on at once (I can't help you out at the moment, I have too many irons in the fire)
- strike while the iron is hot = to do something before you lose the chance (This is a good time to buy a house. Strike while the iron is hot!)
---
SYNONYMS
clear up, fix, patch up, resolve, settle, smooth over, smooth out, smooth out the wrinkles, sort out, straighten out
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Many international conflicts could be avoided if countries tried to iron out their differences first."
