iron man
Americannoun
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a person, as a worker or athlete, of great physical endurance who can be depended upon to perform a given task or job tirelessly.
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a machine that performs a job formerly done by hand; robot.
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Slang. a dollar bill or a silver dollar.
noun
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an event at a surf carnival in which contestants compete at swimming, surfing, running, etc
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a competitor at such an event
Etymology
Origin of iron man
First recorded in 1610–20
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, this would-be iron man recently suffered a set-back when he was arrested in the central African nation of Chad.
From BBC • Nov. 27, 2024
An iron man, he played 10,363 consecutive snaps, a streak believed to be a league record, before being forced off the field with a torn triceps midway through Cleveland’s 0-16 season in 2017.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 2, 2023
Ryan Kerrigan, the Washington Commanders’ all-time sack leader whose dedicated workouts led to an impressive iron man streak, announced his retirement Friday after playing 11 seasons in the NFL.
From Washington Times • Jul. 29, 2022
Goodwin has never missed a game over five seasons, a remarkable iron man streak that meant regularly shaking off nagging injuries.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2022
And high above me now the bridge seemed to move off to where I could not see, striding like a robot, an iron man, whose iron legs clanged doomfully as it moved.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
