iron-sick

Or i·ron·sick

[ahy-ern-sik]

adjective

Nautical.

1. noting a wooden hull, fastened with iron, in which chemical interaction between the iron and the wood has resulted in the decay of both; nail-sick.

Other Word Forms

• iron sickness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of iron-sick¹

First recorded in 1620–30

Example Sentences

That old ship of the faith was leaky and iron-sick, and down by the head and heel, as they say at sea.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

Hawke describes the Portland, a ship of which he was in command, as "iron-sick"; the wood was too rotten, that is, to hold the iron bolts, so that "not a man in the ship had a dry place to sleep in."

Read more on Project Gutenberg