Of a wooden ship, or the wood of such a ship: held together with corroded fastenings, and hence leaky. Also occasionally (of a ship's metal fastening): corroded.
Origin
Early 17th century; earliest use found in John Smith. From iron + sick.
Definition of iron-sick in US English:
iron-sick
adjectiveˈʌɪənsɪk
Nautical historical
Of a wooden ship, or the wood of such a ship: held together with corroded fastenings, and hence leaky. Also occasionally (of a ship's metal fastening): corroded.
Origin
Early 17th century; earliest use found in John Smith. From iron + sick.