- skip - Brewer’s

Strike while the Iron is Hot

.

In French, “Il faut battre le fer pendant quʹil est chaud.” Either act while the impulse is still fervent, or do what you do at the right time. The metaphor is taken from a blacksmith working a piece of iron, say a horse-shoe, into shape. It must be struck while the iron is red-hot or it cannot be moulded into shape. Similar proverbs are “Make hay while the sun shines.” “Take time by the forelock.”

 

previous entry · index · next entry

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

previous entry · index · next entry

Strawberry
Strawberry Preachers
Streak of Silver (The)
Street and Walker (Messrs.)
Stretcher
Strike (A)
Strike
Strike Amain
Strike a Bargain (To)
Strike Sail
Strike while the Iron is Hot
String
Stripes
Strode
Stroke
Stromkarl
Strong
Strong-back
Strong-bow
Strontian
Struldbrugs