stirrup-iron
Now somewhat rare.
1. The metal portion of a stirrup, the stirrup proper (in the modern sense) as distinguished from the strap supporting it.
| 1474 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 36, j quarter of blew vellus to couir the Qwenis stirrap irnis, price xv s. 1533 Ibid. VI. 88 For spurris, brydill bittis, sterap irnis, girth buklis. 1683 Lond. Gaz. No. 1810/4 New Stirrop-Leathers, old Stirrop-Irons. 1782 Phil. Trans. LXXII. 371 One of the stirrup-irons..exhibits some appearances of fusion on the arch through which the stirrup-leather passes. 1853 R. S. Surtees Sponge's Sp. Tour (1893) 318 As he dangled his spurs against his stirrup-irons. 1875 G. J. Whyte-Melville Riding Recoll. xii. (1879) 70 Till the welcome heather is brushing your stirrup-irons once more. |
2. An iron strip to hold the end of a beam or girder.
| 1838 Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl. I. 178/2 The parts of the vertical timbers above the roadway are..secured by stirrup-irons, bolts, and wedges, to the main ribs. |