cold iron
noun1
Alternative Alternative form of cold steel (“swords, knives, bladed weapons”).
- This scene passed in presence of Lieutenant Lismahago, who encouraged Clinker to hazard a thrust of cold iron with his antagonist.1771, Tobias Smollett, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker:
- 'Gold is for the mistress — silver for the maid — / Copper for the craftsman cunning at his trade.' / 'Good!' said the Baron, sitting in his hall, / 'But Iron — Cold Iron — is master of them all.'1910, Rudyard Kipling, “Cold Iron”, in Rewards and Fairies:
2
Human sciences, Mysticism, Mythology, Philosophy, Sciences a (possibly fictional) substance harmful to fairies; depending on the story, ordinary iron or iron treated in some way