cast iron

• castiron
• cast-iron

Derived from the casting of this form of iron. See wrought iron for comparison.

cast iron (countable and uncountable, plural cast irons)

1. A hard and brittle, but strong, alloy of iron, carbon, and silicon, formed by casting in a mould.

   Cast iron is popular for cookware where an even heating temperature is important.

A cast-iron frying pan

cast iron (comparative more cast iron, superlative most cast iron)

1. (not comparable) Made of cast iron.

   I use a cast-iron skillet for frying pancakes.

   • 2008, Steven P. Moysey, The Road to Balcombe Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London, Binghamton, N.Y.: Haworth Press, →ISBN, page 58:

     Three small gelignite bombs, with pocket watch timing devices, were concealed in packets small enough to fit through the slot of the standard cast-iron post box, the cylindrical bright red colored boxes so common throughout London.

2. Durable; tough; resiliant.

   Ernest has a cast-iron constitution and never gets sick.

3. Inflexible or without exception.

   The school's cast-iron policy on admissions fees left no leeway for needy students.

   • 2016, Rod Liddle, What makes the white working class angry? Twits like Hsiao-Hung Pai (in The Spectator, 19 March 2016)

     As far as her own theories are concerned, she is limitlessly credulous, to a degree which makes me suspect that she is a cast-iron idiot.

• (durable, tough, resiliant): bulletproof, impervious, iron, robust, unshakable
• (inflexible or without exception): iron-clad, stern, unrelenting, unwavering

• wrought iron
• pig iron

• C-rations, Cortinas, Crisanto, Nicastro, Nicotras, anticors, cantoris, carotins, castorin, conistra, nicators