in irons
Chained at ankles
A sailing vessel is in irons when it has turned into the wind and lost momentum, leaving the sails luffing uselessly and the boat unable to steer: We came about too slowly and ended up in irons.
The phrase derives from the older sense of irons as shackles—the boat is effectively immobilized.
Figuratively, to be in irons is to be stuck or paralyzed, unable to move forward.
- stuckUnable to move
- dead in the waterUnable to proceed further
- tackSharp-headed fastener
- come aboutHappen or occur
- luffingSail's wind-loss trembling
stuck fast · locked · shackles · doldrums · trapped · jib · windward · leeward · jammed · becalmed · mainsail · chains · in chains · no-go zone · hindered · manacles · frozen · fetters
in ironsfree
Without payment or restriction
unshackled · unbound · unchained · unfettered · at liberty
in ironsfree
Without payment or restriction
released · at liberty · liberated · on the loose · pardoned
in ironsunder way
Currently in progress
making headway · under sail · making way · close-hauled · in control
iron, irons, ironed, ironing, ironwork, ironworks, ironworker, ironclad, irony