pen

pen ¹  (pn)

n.

1. An instrument for writing or drawing with ink or similar fluid, especially:

a. A ballpoint pen.

b. A fountain pen.

c. A pen point.

d. A penholder and its pen point.

e. A quill.

2. An instrument for writing regarded as a means of expression: "Tyranny has no enemy so formidable as the pen" (William Cobbett).

3. A writer or an author: a hired pen.

4. A style of writing: wrote plays with a witty pen.

5. pens Pinions.

6. The chitinous internal shell of a squid.

tr.v. penned, pen·ning, pens

To write or compose with or as if with a pen.

---

[Middle English penne, from Old French, from Late Latin penna, from Latin, feather; see pet- in Indo-European roots.]

---

penner n.

---

pen ²  (pn)

n.

1.

a. A fenced enclosure for animals.

b. The animals kept in such an enclosure.

c. Any of various enclosures, such as a bullpen or playpen, used for a variety of purposes.

2. A repair dock for submarines.

tr.v. penned or pent (pnt), pen·ning, pens

To confine in or as if in a pen. See Synonyms at enclose.

---

[Middle English, from Old English penn.]

---

pen ³  (pn)

n.

A female swan.

---

[Origin unknown.]

---

pen ⁴  (pn)

n. Informal

A penitentiary; a prison.

---

[Short for penitentiary.]

---

pen ¹

Noun

1. an instrument for writing or drawing using ink See also ballpoint, fountain pen

2. the pen writing as an occupation

Verb

[penning, penned]

to write or compose [Latin penna feather]

---

pen ²

Noun

1. an enclosure in which domestic animals are kept

2. any place of confinement

Verb

[penning, penned] or pent

1. to enclose (animals) in a pen

2. penned in being or feeling trapped or confined: she stood penned in by bodies at the front of the crowd [Old English penn]

---

pen ³

Noun

US & Canad informal short for penitentiary (sense 1)

---

pen ⁴

Noun

a female swan [origin unknown]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	pen - a writing implement with a point from which ink flows ballpen, ballpoint, ballpoint pen, Biro - a pen that has a small metal ball as the point of transfer of ink to paper felt tip, felt-tip pen, felt-tipped pen, Magic Marker - a pen with a writing tip made of felt (trade name Magic Marker) fountain pen - a pen that is supplied with ink from a reservoir in its barrel nib, pen nib - the writing point of a pen quill, quill pen - pen made from a bird's feather Sharpie - a pen with indelible ink that will write on any surface writing implement - an implement that is used to write
	2.	pen - an enclosure for confining livestock cattle pen, corral, cow pen - a pen for cattle creep - a pen that is fenced so that young animals can enter but adults cannot enclosure - a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose sheep pen, sheepcote, sheepfold, fold - a pen for sheep holding paddock, holding pen, holding yard - a pen where livestock is temporarily confined kraal - a pen for livestock in southern Africa paddock - pen where racehorses are saddled and paraded before a race pinfold - a pen where stray animals are confined rodeo - an enclosure for cattle that have been rounded up pigpen, pigsty, sty - a pen for swine
	3.	pen - a portable enclosure in which babies may be left to play playpen enclosure - a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose
	4.	pen - a correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes penitentiary correctional institution - a penal institution maintained by the government
	5.	pen - female swan swan - stately heavy-bodied aquatic bird with very long neck and usually white plumage as adult
Verb	1.	pen - produce a literary work; "She composed a poem"; "He wrote four novels" indite, write, compose authorship, penning, writing, composition - the act of creating written works; "writing was a form of therapy for him"; "it was a matter of disputed authorship" draw - write a legal document or paper; "The deed was drawn in the lawyer's office" create verbally - create with or from words lyric - write lyrics for (a song) write about, write of, write on - write about a particular topic; "Snow wrote about China" profile - write about; "The author of this article profiles a famous painter" paragraph - write paragraphs; work as a paragrapher paragraph - write about in a paragraph; "All her friends were paragraphed in last Monday's paper" write off - write something fluently, and without hesitation dash off, fling off, scratch off, toss off, knock off - write quickly; "She dashed off a note to her husband saying she would not be home for supper"; "He scratched off a thank-you note to the hostess" rewrite - rewrite so as to make fit to suit a new or different purpose; "re-write a play for use in schools" write copy - write for commercial publications; "She writes copy for Harper's Bazaar" dramatise, dramatize, adopt - put into dramatic form; "adopt a book for a screenplay" draft, outline - draw up an outline or sketch for something; "draft a speech" poetise, poetize, verse, versify - compose verses or put into verse; "He versified the ancient saga" author - be the author of; "She authored this play" annotate, footnote - add explanatory notes to or supply with critical comments; "The scholar annotated the early edition of a famous novel" reference, cite - refer to; "he referenced his colleagues' work" publish, write - have (one's written work) issued for publication; "How many books did Georges Simenon write?"; "She published 25 books during her long career" write out, write up - put into writing; write in complete form; "write out a contract" script - write a script for; "The playwright scripted the movie"

---

pen ¹

verb write (down), draft, compose, pencil, draw up, scribble, take down, inscribe, scrawl, jot down, dash off, commit to paper

---

pen ²

noun 1. enclosure, pound, fold, cage, coop, hutch, corral chiefly U.S., Canad. sty

verb 2. enclose, confine, cage, pound, mew (up), fence in, impound, hem in, coop up, hedge in, shut up or in

Translations

pen [pɛn] n (= ballpoint pen) → bolígrafo (= fountain pen); pluma;

(for sheep) → redil m;

(US) (col) (= prison); cárcel f; chirona;

to put pen to paper → tomar la pluma

---

pen [pɛn] n (for writing) → stylo m;

(for sheep) → parc m;

(US) (inf) (= prison); taule f;

to put pen to paper → prendre la plume

---

pen [pɛn] n (also: fountain pen) → Füller m;

(also: ballpoint pen) → Kugelschreiber m;

(also: felt-tip pen) → Filzstift m;

(enclosure) (for sheep, pigs etc) → Pferch m;

(US) (inf) (= prison); Knast m;

to put pen to paper → zur Feder greifen

---

pen [pɛn] n → penna;

(for sheep) → recinto;

(US ) (col) (= prison); galera;

to put pen to paper → prendere la penna in mano

---

pen¹

n pen [pen]

a small enclosure, usually for animals a sheep-pen. hok, kampie حَظيرَه кошара chlév, kotec, ohrádka fold; -fold der Pferch μαντρί corral aedik آغل karsina enclos דִיר लेखनी, कलम pero karám kandang terbuka stía, rétt, kví recinto おり (가축용) 우리 aptvaras, gardas aploks; aizgalds petak hok, kooi binge, bås; innhegning zagroda cercado ţarc загон ohrada ograda tor fålla, kätte คอก ağıl 圍欄，圍圈 невеликий загін احاطہ chỗ quây kín 围栏，围圈