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• Strike while the iron is hot
  Strike while the iron is hot

  Take advantage of favorable circumstances while they last. The image is from a blacksmith's shop; the smith can shape iron only by striking it with his hammer when it is red hot.
• strike while the iron is hot
  strike while the iron is hot

  Take advantage of favorable conditions, as in They just made a huge profit, so let's strike while the iron is hot and ask for some money. This adage alludes to the blacksmith's forge. [Late 1300s] Also see make hay while the sun shines.

Strike while the iron is hot

Cultural  

1. Take advantage of favorable circumstances while they last. The image is from a blacksmith's shop; the smith can shape iron only by striking it with his hammer when it is red hot.

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strike while the iron is hot Idioms  

1. Take advantage of favorable conditions, as in They just made a huge profit, so let's strike while the iron is hot and ask for some money. This adage alludes to the blacksmith's forge. [Late 1300s] Also see make hay while the sun shines.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Strike while the iron is hot strike while the iron is hot

“And they should’ve done it. I know they talked about it. Strike while the iron is hot, and you’ve got a franchise.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2021

Strike while the iron is hot, and even on this cold, wet, Sunday night not long before Christmas, he can feel the heat.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2013

Strike while the iron is hot," Said the wise old saw of old; But the miners say, "What rot!

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 159, October 27, 1920 by Sir Owen Seaman

"Strike while the iron is hot," has been the battle-cry of men of action throughout the world!

From The True Story of Our National Calamity of Flood, Fire and Tornado by Logan Marshall

The proverb says, "Strike while the iron is hot."

From The Iron Puddler My life in the rolling mills and what came of it by James J. (James John) Davis

Demand for AI cloud computing is insatiable in the near term, and they want Microsoft to strike while the iron is hot.

From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026

Once success comes, there can then be added pressure to keep the momentum going, book more jobs, be seen in the right places, and strike while the iron is hot.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 15, 2022

So any and every opportunity you can to continue to strike while the iron is hot you should take.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 6, 2022

We gotta strike while the iron is hot because I think Sam Bankman-Fried is also interested and he has a lot more money.

From The Verge ● Aug. 3, 2022

He does not "strike while the iron is hot," but hesitates until the prospect's desire cools.

From Certain Success by Norval A. Hawkins

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