pin
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: pĭn
ipa: /pɪn/
ipa: [pʰɪn]
rhymes: -ɪn
homophone: pen (pin–pen merger)
Forms: form: pins
Etymology: From Middle English pinne, from Old English pinn (“pin, peg, bolt”), from Proto-Germanic *pinnaz, *pinnō, *pint- (“protruding point, peak, peg, pin, nail”), from Proto-Indo-European *bend- (“protruding object, pointed peg, nail, edge”). Related to pen (“enclosure”).
Cognate with Dutch pin (“peg, pin”), Low German pin, pinne (“pin, point, nail, peg”), German Pinn, Pinne (“pin, tack, peg”), Bavarian Pfonzer, Pfunzer (“sharpened point”), Danish pind (“pin, pointed stick”), Norwegian pinn (“stick”), Swedish pinne (“peg, rod, stick”), Icelandic pinni (“pin”). More at pintle.
No relation to classical Latin pinna (“fin, flipper, wing-like appendage, wing, feather”), which was extended to mean "ridge, peak, point" (compare pinnacle), and often confused with Latin penna (“wing, feather”). More at feather and pen (Etymology 3).
Senses: examples: text: With pins of adamant / And chains they made all fast.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
glosses: A needle without an eye (usually) made of drawn-out steel wire with one end sharpened and the other flattened or rounded into a head, used for fastening.
glosses: A small nail with a head and a sharp point.
examples: text: Pull the pin out of the grenade before throwing it at the enemy.
glosses: A cylinder often of wood or metal used to fasten or as a bearing between two parts.
topics: government
hobbies
lifestyle
martial-arts
military
politics
professional-wrestling
sports
war
wrestling
glosses: The victory condition of holding the opponent's shoulders on the wrestling mat for a prescribed period of time.
glosses: A slender object specially designed for use in a specific game or sport, such as skittles or bowling.
examples: text: I'm not so good on my pins these days.
glosses: A leg.
examples: text: The UK standard connector for domestic mains electricity has three pins.
topics: business
electrical-engineering
electricity
electromagnetism
energy
engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: Any of the individual connecting elements of a multipole electrical connector.
glosses: A piece of jewellery that is attached to clothing with a pin.
synonyms: lapel pin
badge
glosses: A simple accessory that can be attached to clothing with a pin or fastener, often round and bearing a design, logo or message, and used for decoration, identification or to show political affiliation, etc.
topics: board-games
chess
games
glosses: Either a scenario in which moving a lesser piece to escape from attack would expose a more valuable piece to being taken instead, or one where moving a piece is impossible as it would place the king in check.
topics: golf
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: The flagstick: the flag-bearing pole which marks the location of a hole
examples: text: The shot landed right on the pin.
topics: ball-games
curling
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: The spot at the exact centre of the house (the target area)
examples: text: For kings are clouts that euery man ſhoots at,
Our Crowne the pin that thouſands ſeeke to cleaue.
ref: c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene iv:
text: the very pin of his heart cleft
ref: c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
topics: archery
government
hobbies
lifestyle
martial-arts
military
politics
sports
war
glosses: The spot at the exact centre of the target, originally a literal pin that fastened the target in place.
examples: text: Hee sett Promethius, on a merrye pynn, / Whoe dranke soe devillishly, that there he gott / A terrible heartburninge, […]
ref: c. 1631–1633 (first performance), [John Clavell], edited by John Henry Pyle Pafford and W[alter] W[ilson] Greg, The Soddered Citizen (The Malone Society Reprints; 82), London: […] [F]or the Malone Society by John Johnson at the Oxford University Press, published 1936, →OCLC, Act II, scene v, folio 14ᵃ, page 45, lines 1030–1032:
text: he had made the sign of the Cross on his head; for he was then on a merry pin and full of jearing
ref: 1653, Henry More, An Antidote against Atheisme, or An Appeal to the Natural Faculties of the Minde of Man, whether There Be Not a God, London: […] Roger Daniel, […], →OCLC:
glosses: A mood, a state of being.
glosses: One of a row of pegs in the side of an ancient drinking cup to mark how much each person should drink.
examples: text: Blind with the pin and web
ref: c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Caligo.
examples: text: He […] did not care a pin for her.
ref: 1712 February 18 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, February 7, 1711–1712”, in The Spectator, number 295; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
glosses: A thing of small value; a trifle.
glosses: A peg in musical instruments for increasing or relaxing the tension of the strings.
topics: engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: A short shaft, sometimes forming a bolt, a part of which serves as a journal.
glosses: The tenon of a dovetail joint.
examples: text: Our ground crew were lodged in the main station, but they came to the cottage for a party when operations for the night had been cancelled and we had a new ‘gong’ (decoration) to celebrate. On these occasions we always installed a pin of bitter.
ref: 1978, Hugh Verity, chapter 2, in We landed by moonlight, Manchester: Crécy Publishing, →ISBN, page 22=:
topics: beverages
brewing
business
food
lifestyle
manufacturing
glosses: A size of brewery cask, equal to half a firkin, or eighth of a barrel.
examples: text: I spent most of my time in the arcade playing pins.
text: Attracted by game operation, many invested heavily in pins and rolldowns prior to last spring.
ref: 1949, Billboard, volume 61, page 82:
glosses: A pinball machine.
glosses: A small cylindrical object which blocks the rotation of a pin-tumbler lock when the incorrect key is inserted.
topics: bodybuilding
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: An injection of PEDs.
Synonyms: sense: small nail
word: nail
sense: small nail
word: tack
sense: cylinder of wood or metal
word: peg
topics: games
word: skittle
sense: jewellery fastened with a pin
word: brooch
Hyponyms: sense: jewellery fastened with a pin
word: breastpin
topics: chess
board-games
games
word: absolute pin
topics: chess
board-games
games
word: relative pin
topics: chess
board-games
games
word: partial pin
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: angels dancing on the head of a pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: angels-dancing-on-the-head-of-a-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: axlepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: banking pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: belaying pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: bitt-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: bobby pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: breastpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: breech pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: bright as a new pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: candlepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: care a pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: centerpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: centrepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: clean as a new pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: clevis pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: clothespin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: clothes pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: corking pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: cotter pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: could hear a pin drop
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: coupling pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: crankpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: crank pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: crimping pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: crisping pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: cute as a pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: depin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: diaper pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: drawing pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: driftpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: duckpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: en
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: endpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: escutcheon pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: Eve's pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: eyepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: firing pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: five-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: five-pin bowling
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: gudgeon pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: hair pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: hairpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: hatpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: headpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: hit-a-pin bagatelle
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: hook pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: Jesus pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: kettle-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: kilt pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: kingpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: kirby pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: lockpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: micropin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: minuten pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: multipin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: nappy pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: neat as a new pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: neat as a pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: neuropin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: ninepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: nosepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: on a pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: one could hear a pin drop
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: on pins and needles
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: panel pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: picket pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinafore
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin and web
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinback
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin bagatelle
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinball
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinboard
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin bone
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinboy
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-brained
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin camera
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pincase
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pincheck
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pincloth
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin curl
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin cushion
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pincushion
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-cushion
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin deck
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pindick
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pindot
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin drill
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-dropping
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-eyed
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinfall
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinfeather
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinfeathered
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinfinger
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinfire
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinfish
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin grass
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-head
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinhead
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinheaded
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-headed
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin header
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinhold
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinholder
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinhole
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-hole
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinhook
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinlay
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinless
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin lichen
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinlike
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinmaker
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinmaking
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinman
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin mill
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-money
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin money
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinner
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin oak
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinout
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-pen merger
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinpoint
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-point
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin pool
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-prick
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinprick
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-pricked
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pins and needles
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinscape
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinscreen
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin seal
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinsetter
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-setter
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin setter
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin setting
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinsetting
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-sharp
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinspot
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinspotter
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinspotting
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin squat
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinstripe
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-stripe
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinstriped
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-striped
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pintable
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pintail
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-tailed
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pintailed
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-tailed sandgrouse
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-tailed snipe
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: Pinterest
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pintle
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pintuck
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pin-up
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinup
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinwale
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinweed
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinwheel
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinworks
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pinworm
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pivot pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pole-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pole-pin-strap
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: polypin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pork
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pull the pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: push-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: pushpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: push pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: put a pin in
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: put in the pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: rolling-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: rolling pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: row of pins
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: safety pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: scarfpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: schoolgirl pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: seatpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: so quiet one can hear a pin drop
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: so quiet one could hear a pin drop
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: so quiet you can hear a pin drop
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: split pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: spring pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: stickpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: subst:sort
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: tailpin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: taper pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: ten-pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: ten-pin bowling
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: tenpins
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: tholepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: tie pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: tiepin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: un-pin-downable
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: web and pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: wrist pin
sense: Terms derived from pin (noun)
word: yoke-pin
Related terms: needle