Iron Curtain

Definitions

1. The dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War (1947–1991).
   historical
2. A barrier made of iron in a theatre, lowered between the stage and the auditorium for safety or to prevent communication.
3. Any impenetrable barrier.
   figuratively

Equivalents

31 more languages

العربيةالسِتَار الحَدِيدِيسِتَار حَدِيدِيّ

Češtinaželezná opona

Ελληνικάσιδηρούν παραπέτασμα

Esperantofera kurteno

Eestiraudne eesriie

Suomirautaesirippu

Gàidhligcùirtear iarainn

עבריתמָסַךְ הַבַּרְזֶל

Magyarvasfüggöny

Հայերեներկաթե վարագույր

Bahasa Indonesiatirai besi

Íslenskajárntjald

Italianocortina di ferro

日本語鉄のカーテン

ქართულირკინის ფარდა

ភាសាខ្មែរវាំងននដែក

한국어장벽철의 장막

Lietuviųgeležinė uždanga

Latviešudzelzs priekškars

Bahasa Melayutirai besi

NederlandsIJzeren Gordijn

Polskiżelazna kurtyna

PortuguêsCortina de Ferro

Românăcortină de fier

Русскийжелезный занавес

Slovenščinaželézna zavésa

Svenskajärnridå

ไทยม่านเหล็ก

TagalogKortinang Bakal

Türkçedemir perde

Українськазалі́зна заві́са

Examples

“We liked the plain people of Russia wherever we met them. […] We were behind the "iron⟳ curtain" at last⟳!”

“In the east the iron⟳ curtain behind which, unseen by the eyes of the world, the work⟳ of destruction goes on, is moving steadily forward⟳.”

“An iron⟳ curtain is drawn down upon their [Russia's] front. We do not know⟳ what is going on behind.”

“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron⟳ curtain has descended across the Continent.”

“Indeed, rail traffic of all kinds is developing through the Iron⟳ Curtain – for instance, last⟳ year a total of 6,445 wagons controlled by Interfrigo, the international company for refrigerated transport⟳, passed between East and West; […]”

“Justice is giving ground to the forces of evil. These developments have⟳ confused the camp of freedom and abetted the growth of Communism. Even so, the fierce struggle⟳ for freedom of the people shut⟳ behind the Iron⟳ Curtain and the support⟳ for their emancipation provided by peace-loving people outside the Iron⟳ Curtain have⟳ never ceased despite the buffeting from waves of appeasement.”

“Now, we are not in a new Cold War. We don't see⟳ the descending of a new Iron⟳ Curtain, but we have⟳ moved back very, very sharply in the wrong direction. We must work⟳ with the many Russian democrats still functioning in and out of government, in and out of Parliament, in and out of the business community, to make⟳ the dream⟳ of a Russian democracy become⟳ a reality.”

“[…] Christopher Hill, one of the Western critics whose works were cited and appreciated behind the Iron⟳ Curtain throughout the decades of state socialism.”

“The coup d'etat also constituted an iron⟳ curtain for the social scientists.”

CEFR level