Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. handcuffs.

1675		F. Fane Love in the Dark V i: Away with the Mock-Cardinal, and his Man: clap the Master and Schollar close in Irons.
1756		J. Cox Narrative of Thief-takers, alias Thief-makers 80: [letters dated 13 & 18 Jan. 1754] Dear Brother and Sister [...] I beg for God Almighty’s Sake, you would help me [...] for I am loaded with Irons, which is very troublesome to me. [...] I am very sick and weak; and this Night we are all to be double-iron’d.
1781		in F. Moore Songs and Ballads of the Amer. Revolution (1855) 355: Our irons jingled – well they might – / We shiver’d so that stormy night.
1809		J. Mackcoull Abuses of Justice 40: You know he must not be brought into the office with irons on.
1829		D. Jerrold Black-Ey’d Susan III ii: I feel as if I was in irons or seized to the grating.
1837		Marryat Snarleyyow I 18: Silence, you mutinous rascal, or I’ll put you in irons.
1841		W.J. Neale Paul Periwinkle 427: Bill, have you got them irons ready?
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 385/2: Some had irons on their hands if they were obstropolous.
1873		W.H. Thomes Bushrangers 104: The young girl [...] held out her hands. ‘Put the irons on me if you will [...] I am not afeard.’.
1886		A.F Pinkerton Dyke Darrel 64: The first one requested him to handcuff the prisoner. [...] ‘This is going too far,’ he said in a vexed tone. ‘If you attempt to put the irons on me, I’ll make you trouble’.
1899		E.W. Hornung Amateur Cracksman (1992) 131: I have been obliged to pud you both in irons until we ged to Nables.
1901		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ In Bad Company 218: He was brought down in irons, as if he’d made a fight of it.
1910		Wodehouse Gentleman of Leisure Ch. xxii: An’ den I hears a click. An’ I know what dat is. It’s one of de gazebos has put de irons on de odder gazebo.
1926		J. Black You Can’t Win (2000) 183: Put the irons on him, Mr. Stevens [...] He is our man.
1931		B. Lubbock Bully Hayes 233: My instructions are to keep you in irons till we make the first land.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 108/2: Irons. Handcuffs.
1961		G.L. Coon Meanwhile, Back at the Front (1962) 253: Nice, big, heavy irons.
1967		(con. 1940s) M. Dibner Admiral (1968) 99: Now pull yourself together or, by Christ, I’ll slap you in irons.
1975		J. Wambaugh Choirboys (1976) 286: He tried to lay the iron on his wrists.

2. utensils, knife and fork [abbr. eating irons n.].

1941		Yorks. Post 3 May 4/5: Canteen slang [...] from the Army & RAF [...] irons (knife, fork and spoon).
2001		A. Sillitoe Birthday 65: Arthur unwrapped his irons from the paper napkin.