What is meant by 'strike while the iron is hot'?

"Strike while the iron is hot" means "act while you have the chance to".

It comes from the black-smithing practice of heating up metal and then striking it when it is malleable to shape it. If you let the metal cool off, then it breaks instead of bends into shape.

This idiom is used to mean that the topic of the conversation should be carried out before that opportunity is lost forever.

Some Examples:Adam: "Have you asked that Sarah out yet?"
Ben: "No, I'm too scared"
Adam: "Come on! Strike while the iron is hot or someone else might ask her out!"

"I didn't understand our discussion topic so when the teacher had some free time I decided to strike when the iron was hot and ask him about it."



'Striking when the iron is hot' is a metaphor that refers to taking an opportunity when it arises.

It comes from the blacksmithing practice of heating up metal and then striking it when it is malleable to shape it.

Ex: I didn't understand our discussion topic so when the teacher had some free time I decided to strike when the iron was hot and ask him about it.
It means to take action while the topic is still relevant. For example, if you're a policeman and your suspect is seen going into a certain house, you might decide to enter that house to interview him, rather than hope to do it at some time in the future.
It means you have to do things on the right moment. You only can change the shape of iron if you strike it while it's red hot.

Do things while you can.
This expression comes from blacksmithing. Blacksmiths heat a piece of iron until it is red-hot, then hammer it into shape on an anvil. The iron cools once it is out of the forge (the thing it is heated in), and the blacksmith may have to heat it several times before it can be finished. Obviously you don't want to heat it to the right heat then let it cool while you have a coffee break. You want to strike it when it's hot. And that is what the expression means: Do it when the circumstances are best.

Another expression which means the same thing, but comes from farming rather than smithing, is "Make hay when the sun shines". You cannot cut hay when it is raining, so if it is sunny, you need to take advantage of the opportunity.

The Latins had an even pithier expression: Carpe Diem, which means "seize the day."
The expression is Strike while the iron is hot. It means Execute your plan now, because the time is right.
"Strike when the iron is hot" comes from blacksmithing: don't let the hot iron cool before you strike it with the hammer.