ironing board

Meaning

An ironing board is a long, narrow, flat surface, usually covered with fabric and having foldable legs, used for ironing clothes. In a travel context, guests often request one from hotel reception to smooth out wrinkled clothes from their luggage.

Examples

• Excuse me, could you send an ironing board up to room 402?

  Excuse me, could you send an ironing board up to room 402?

• I need to press my suit, but I can't find the ironing board in the closet.

  I need to press my suit, but I can't find the ironing board in the closet.

• The hotel provides a shared ironing board on every floor.

  The hotel provides a shared ironing board on every floor.

• Be careful when folding the ironing board so you don't pinch your fingers.

  Be careful when folding the ironing board so you don't pinch your fingers.

• Is there an ironing board available in the laundry room?

  Is there an ironing board available in the laundry room?

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need an iron table to press my shirt.

  ✓ I need an ironing board to press my shirt.

  While it looks like a small table, native speakers exclusively call this item an 'ironing board'. Calling it an 'iron table' sounds unnatural.

• ✗ Where is the iron board?

  ✓ Where is the ironing board?

  Use the gerund form 'ironing' rather than the noun/verb 'iron' when referring to the board itself.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Could you please bring an ___ to my room so I can flatten my shirt?

  💡 A long flat surface with foldable legs used for pressing clothes.

  Show answer

  ironing board

• The closet has an iron, but it is missing the ___.

  💡 The padded stand you place clothes on to iron them.

  Show answer

  ironing board