andiron, hand iron, awndiron, awyndyrne, awynder

A.S. brand - isen is a branding-iron or rod, a tripod ( Bosworth ), but this does not seem the origin of the English word. Sw. brandjern; Fr. & Arm. landier; Mediæv. Lat. andena =an andiron. Skinner derives it (a) from hand and irons, or (b) from and and irons, or (c) from brand and irons. In Yorkshire the term end-irons (see b) is applied to two coarse iron plates used to contract the fire-place. ANDIRONS. These being movable may be placed at a distance from each other when a large fire is wanted, and nearer when what is needed is only a small one. Boucher thinks that and in andirons is the A.S. separable prep. and , Gr. ἀντί (anti), implying opposition, and that and-irons are pieces of iron opposed to each other. Wedgwood believes the true etymology is the Flemish wend - ijser , from wenden = to turn andiron would then be the rack in front of the kitchen dogs in which the spit turns.] Generally in the plural : A pair of and-irons A utensil consisting of two = fire-dogs. upright and generally ornamented pillars at some distance from each other, with a horizontal bar connecting them together. It was originally designed, as it still is in America, to prop up the extremities of logs of wood whilst they were being burnt. Then it was used to support the ends of a spit. Her andirons (I had forgot them) were two winking Cupids." Shakesp. Cymbeline, ii. 4.