What does ‘strike while the iron is hot’ mean?
To “strike while the iron is hot” means to act promptly while the opportunity lasts. Brewer's records the proverb, drawn from the blacksmith's craft, from at least Chaucer's time in the 14th century.
Origin
- Brewer's records the proverb, drawn from the blacksmith's craft, from at least Chaucer's time in the 14th century.
How to use it
- Standard advice to move fast on an opportunity.
- Example: The offer expires Friday — strike while the iron is hot.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.