ironbound

American  

[ahy-ern-bound] / ˈaɪ ərnˈbaʊnd /

adjective

1. bound with iron.

2. rock-bound; rugged.

3. hard; rigid; unyielding.

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ironbound British  

/ ˈaɪənˌbaʊnd /

adjective

1. bound with iron

2. unyielding; inflexible

3. (of a coast) rocky; rugged

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Etymology

Origin of ironbound

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at iron, -bound ¹

Example Sentences

Right now, he’s piloting “Man of La Mancha,” and he’s so excited that he brings a model of designer Allen Moyer’s dark, ironbound prison set and Ann Hould-Ward’s costume sketches to an interview.

From Washington Post • Mar. 19, 2015

He described 19th-century “path-makers,” highbred gentlemen who spent summers armchair-engineering intricate paths around Mount Desert Island’s barren 1,500-foot peaks, glacial lakes and ironbound shoreline.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2014

Now that the first flush of hero stories had almost run its course, more comprehensive news about the Solomon Islands began to find its way through the ironbound Navy censorship.

From Time Magazine Archive

In old Bogota, the customs of mourning were ironbound.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the heavy ironbound chest at the foot of Bran's bed the maester found smallclothes, breeches, and tunic.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin