smoothing iron
- noun
- /ˈsmuːðɪŋ ˈaɪərn/
:
plancha
- Modern smoothing irons come with adjustable temperature controls.
Examples
-
A traditional smoothing iron needs to be heated on a stove.
-
I need to plug in my smoothing iron.
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She pressed her shirt using a smoothing iron before the interview.
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The smoothing iron is on the table.
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She used the smoothing iron to remove all the wrinkles from her dress before the party.
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To get a crisp look, make sure the smoothing iron is set to the right temperature for the fabric.
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After washing the shirt, he took out the smoothing iron to make it look neat again.
Synonyms
70
1.0
A metal tool with a flat hot base for removing wrinkles from clothes
1
1.1
A small machine with a flat hot metal base used to press clothes and remove wrinkles
1
4.4
A person or machine that removes wrinkles from clothes by pressing them
1
1.8
A small electric machine that makes steam to remove wrinkles from clothes
A machine with a large heated plate that presses clothes flat
A large machine with a hot roller that irons and dries things like sheets and tablecloths
A large machine that irons and dries sheets and tablecloths in laundries
How Effective
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: an 'iron' (heated appliance) that 'smooths' (removes creases), so a learner who knows both words can infer it is an iron used for smoothing clothes. This is a regular participle + noun modifier pattern found across languages and follows straightforward English composition, so it should be immediately clear to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Smoothing iron: The name smoothing iron comes from the old heavy tool of iron that people heated and slid over clothes to smooth out wrinkles. So the name links the action smoothing with the metal iron, and it means 'a heated flat tool for removing creases'.