iron mold

7.7

A brown stain on cloth or paper made by rust, sometimes by ink

noun
/ˈaɪərn moʊld/

: mancha de óxido

The shirt had an unsightly iron mold stain on the collar.

Examples

She tried several remedies to remove the iron mold from the pages of the antique book.
The old tablecloth was ruined by an unsightly iron mold near the corner.
Many homeowners find iron mold spots extremely stubborn and difficult to remove from fabric.
I found some iron molds on the old fabric in the attic.
Many homeowners find iron mold spots extremely stubborn and difficult to remove from fabric.
The old tablecloth was ruined by an unsightly iron mold near the corner.
She tried several remedies to remove the iron mold from the pages of the antique book.

Synonyms

foxing

vsiron mold

Specialized

1 9.9

Brown spots that appear on pages of old books from age or dampness

is stains from rust or sometimes ink affecting paper or fabric

Surface Forms

iron mold singular

iron molds plural

Morphology

iron + mold

The element 'iron' transparently points to the metal and its tendency to rust, which plausibly relates to a rust-like stain, but 'mold' is ambiguous (commonly 'fungus' or 'shape') and the provided entry lacks the sense 'mold = stain'. Because understanding the precise meaning 'stain caused by rust or ink' requires access to a less common/use-specific sense of 'mold' rather than straightforward composition, the expression is only partially predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Iron mold may come from the simple image of wet cloth touching a piece of iron and leaving a brown, rusty spot. The parts iron, the metal, and mold, an old word for a spot, give the idea of a rust or ink 'stain', which is why the phrase means a stubborn mark on fabric or paper.