pin

¹

[ pin ]

noun

1. a small, slender, often pointed piece of wood, metal, etc., used to fasten, support, or attach things.

   Synonyms: peg, bolt

2. a short, slender piece of wire with a point at one end and a head at the other, for fastening things together.
3. any of various forms of fasteners or ornaments consisting essentially or partly of a pointed or penetrating wire or shaft (often used in combination):

   a jeweled pin.

   Synonyms: brooch

4. a badge having a pointed bar or pin attached, by which it is fastened to the clothing:

   a fraternity pin.

5. Digital Technology. a photo or link that is bookmarked on Pinterest, a website and mobile application:

   She added 5 pins to her recipes board.

6. Machinery.
   1. a short metal rod, as a linchpin, driven through holes in adjacent parts, as a hub and an axle, to keep the parts together.
   2. a short cylindrical rod or tube, as a wrist pin or crankpin, joining two parts so as to permit them to move in one plane relative to each other.
   3. a short axle, as one on which a pulley rotates in a block.
7. the part of a cylindrical key stem entering a lock.
8. a clothespin.
9. a hairpin.
10. rolling pin.
11. a peg, nail, or stud marking the center of a target.
12. Bowling. any one of the rounded wooden clubs set up as the target in tenpins, ninepins, duckpins, etc.
13. Golf. the flag staff which identifies a hole.
14. any of the projecting knobs or rails on a pinball machine that serve as targets for the ball.
15. Informal. a human leg.
16. Music. peg ( def 5 ).
17. Wrestling. a fall.
18. Nautical.
    1. an axle for a sheave of a block.
    2. belaying pin.
19. Carpentry. a tenon in a dovetail joint; dovetail.
20. a very small amount; a trifle:

    Such insincere advice isn't worth a pin.

21. Chess. the immobilization of an enemy piece by attacking with one's queen, rook, or bishop.
22. Electronics. a pin-shaped connection, as the terminals on the base of an electron tube or the connections on an integrated circuit.

verb (used with object)

, pinned, pin·ning.

1. to fasten or attach with or as with a pin or pins:

   to pin two pieces of cloth together.

2. to hold fast in a spot or position (sometimes followed by down ):

   The debris pinned him down.

3. to transfix or mount with a pin or the like:

   to pin a flower as a botanical specimen.

4. Chess. to immobilize (an enemy piece) by placing one's queen, rook, or bishop in a position to check the exposed king or capture a valuable piece if the pinned piece were moved.
5. Wrestling. to secure a fall over one's opponent.
6. Digital Technology.
   1. to bookmark (a photo or link) on Pinterest, a website and mobile application:

      He pinned a jacket from Macy's on his fashion board.

   2. to fix (a social media post) to the top of a feed:

      She pinned a tweet about her forthcoming book to the top of her Twitter feed.

verb (used without object)

, pinned, pin·ning.

1. Digital Technology. to bookmark a photo or link on Pinterest:

   I've been pinning a lot lately.

verb phrase

1. 1. to bind or hold to a course of action, a promise, etc.
   2. to force (someone) to deal with a situation or to come to a decision:

      We tried to pin him down for a definite answer, but he was too evasive for us.

2. to make (a piece of masonry) level or plumb with wedges.
3. to fill (gaps in a rubble wall, etc.) with spalls.

PIN

²

[ pin ]

noun

, Computers.

1. a number assigned to an individual, used to establish identity in order to gain access to a computer system via an automatic teller machine, a point-of-sale terminal, or other device.

pin

¹

/ pɪn /

noun

1. 1. a short stiff straight piece of wire pointed at one end and either rounded or having a flattened head at the other: used mainly for fastening pieces of cloth, paper, etc, esp temporarily
   2. ( in combination )

      pinhole

2. short for cotter pin hairpin panel pin rolling pin safety pin
3. an ornamental brooch, esp a narrow one
4. a badge worn fastened to the clothing by a pin
5. something of little or no importance (esp in the phrases not care or give a pin ( for ))
6. a peg or dowel
7. anything resembling a pin in shape, function, etc
8. (in various bowling games) a usually club-shaped wooden object set up in groups as a target
9. Also calledcotter pinsafety pin a clip on a hand grenade that prevents its detonation until removed or released
10. nautical
    1. See belaying pin
    2. the axle of a sheave
    3. the sliding closure for a shackle
11. music a metal tuning peg on a piano, the end of which is inserted into a detachable key by means of which it is turned
12. surgery a metal rod, esp of stainless steel, for holding together adjacent ends of fractured bones during healing
13. chess a position in which a piece is pinned against a more valuable piece or the king
14. golf the flagpole marking the hole on a green
15. 1. the cylindrical part of a key that enters a lock
    2. the cylindrical part of a lock where this part of the key fits
16. wrestling a position in which a person is held tight or immobile, esp with both shoulders touching the ground
17. a dovetail tenon used to make a dovetail joint
18. (in Britain) a miniature beer cask containing 4 1 2 gallons
19. informal.
    usually plural a leg
20. be put to the pin on one's collar
    to be forced to make an extreme effort

verb

1. to attach, hold, or fasten with or as if with a pin or pins
2. to transfix with a pin, spear, etc
3. informal.
   foll by on to place (the blame for something)

   he pinned the charge on his accomplice

4. chess to cause (an enemy piece) to be effectively immobilized by attacking it with a queen, rook, or bishop so that moving it would reveal a check or expose a more valuable piece to capture
5. Alsounderpin to support (masonry), as by driving in wedges over a beam

PIN

²

/ pɪn /

acronym for

1. personal identification number: a number used by a holder of a cash card or credit card used in EFTPOS

Other Words From

• re·pin verb (used with object) repinned repinning

Word History and Origins

Origin of pin¹

First recorded before 1100; Middle English noun pinne, Old English pinn “peg”; cognate with Dutch pin, German Pinne, Old Norse pinni; perhaps frrom Latin pinna “feather, quill” ( pinna ); verb from the noun

Origin of pin²

p(ersonal) i(dentification) n(umber)

Word History and Origins

Origin of pin¹

Old English pinn; related to Old High German pfinn, Old Norse pinni nail

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. get pinned,
   1. (of a young woman) to receive a male student's fraternity pin as a symbol of his affection and fidelity, usually symbolizing that the couple is going steady or plans to become engaged.
   2. (of a young couple) to become formally pledged to one another, though not yet engaged, by the bestowing of such a pin or the exchange of pins.
2. pin something on someone, Informal. to ascribe the blame or guilt for something to a person; show someone to be culpable:

   They pinned the crime on him.

3. pull the pin, Informal. to end a relationship, project, program, or the like, because of lack of continuing interest, success, funds, etc.

More idioms and phrases containing pin

• hear a pin drop
• on pins and needles

Example Sentences

There was a noticeable 'you can hear a pin drop' moment when the slap occurred.

From BBC

The court previously heard a bloodstained cricket bat, a rolling pin with Sara’s DNA on it, a metal pole, a belt and rope were found near the family’s outhouse.

From BBC

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC previously said a bloodstained cricket bat, a rolling pin with Sara’s DNA on it, a metal pole, a belt and rope were found near the family’s outhouse.

From BBC

The team used the seismic data to pin down the location of the signal’s source to Dickson Fjord in East Greenland.

From BBC

Most people tend to pin one on a coat lapel.

From BBC

Related Words

• affix
• bind
• clasp
• fasten
• fix