lily iron

noun

a harpoon whose head may be detached.

Origin of lily iron

First recorded in 1830–40

Words nearby lily iron

lilo, lilongwe, lilt, lily, lily family, lily iron, lily of the valley, lily pad, lily-livered, lily-of-the-nile, lily-trotter

Example sentences from the Web for lily iron

  • Upon the end of the “shank” fits the head of the harpoon, known by the names swordfish-iron, lily-iron, and Indian dart.

    Tales of Fishes |Zane Grey

  • Triced up to the jib stay was the long harpoon with its head, known as the 'lily-iron.'

    The Boy With the U. S. Fisheries |Francis Rolt-Wheeler

  • The lily-iron is, in principle, exactly what a whaleman would describe by the word “toggle.”

    Tales of Fishes |Zane Grey

British Dictionary definitions for lily iron

lily iron

noun

a harpoon, the head of which is detachable

Word Origin for lily iron

C19: from the shape of its shaft, which resembles lily leaves