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Glite Dictionary
Old Ironsides

Old Ironsides

8.1
A famous American warship from the War of 1812 now a museum in Boston
  • proper noun
  • /oʊld ˈaɪərnˌsaɪdz/
translation icon : Old Ironsides
  • The USS Constitution, known as Old Ironsides, is a symbol of American naval history.

Examples

  • Tourists visit Boston to walk the decks of Old Ironsides and learn about its storied past.

  • During the War of 1812, Old Ironsides became a symbol of American naval strength.

  • The crew of Old Ironsides celebrated each victory with a rousing cheer.

  • Have you ever visited Old Ironsides in Boston?

  • During the War of 1812, Old Ironsides became a symbol of American naval strength.

  • Tourists visit Boston to walk the decks of Old Ironsides and learn about its storied past.

  • The USS Constitution, known as Old Ironsides, is a symbol of American naval history.

Synonyms

Constitution
vsOld Ironsides
31 7.2

A 44-gun United States Navy warship launched in 1797 that is now a museum in Boston

is the informal nickname for that same ship
USS Constitution
vsOld Ironsides
6.6

An old American warship launched in 1797 and now a museum ship in Boston

is the informal nickname rather than the formal naval name

Surface Forms

Old Ironsides main

Morphology

old + Ironsides

The phrase literally suggests something aged and strongly built (old + Ironsides evokes iron-plated strength), so learners can partly infer a general sense. However, a B1 learner who knows the words would not be able to deduce that it is the specific historic nickname of the USS Constitution without cultural/historical knowledge, so the exact referent is not predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

The nickname Old Ironsides comes from a famous battle image: cannonballs seemed to bounce off the ship's thick wooden sides, so people said it was as strong as iron. That's why the ship earned the name and became a 'symbol of strength'.