a small, slender, often pointed piece of wood, metal, etc., used to fasten, support, or attach things.
a short, slender piece of wire with a point at one end and a head at the other, for fastening things together.
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.
a badge having a pointed bar or pin attached, by which it is fastened to the clothing: a fraternity pin.
Digital Technology. a photo or link that is bookmarked on Pinterest, a website and mobile application: She added 5 pins to her recipes board.
Machinery.
a short metal rod, as a linchpin, driven through holes in adjacent parts, as a hub and an axle, to keep the parts together.
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.
a short axle, as one on which a pulley rotates in a block.
the part of a cylindrical key stem entering a lock.
a clothespin.
a hairpin.
rolling pin.
a peg, nail, or stud marking the center of a target.
Bowling. any one of the rounded wooden clubs set up as the target in tenpins, ninepins, duckpins, etc.
Golf. the flag staff which identifies a hole.
any of the projecting knobs or rails on a pinball machine that serve as targets for the ball.
Informal. a human leg.
Music. peg (def. 5).
Wrestling. a fall.
Nautical.
an axle for a sheave of a block.
belaying pin.
Carpentry. a tenon in a dovetail joint; dovetail.
a very small amount; a trifle: Such insincere advice isn't worth a pin.
Chess. the immobilization of an enemy piece by attacking with one's queen, rook, or bishop.
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.
to fasten or attach with or as with a pin or pins: to pin two pieces of cloth together.
to hold fast in a spot or position (sometimes followed by down): The debris pinned him down.
to transfix or mount with a pin or the like: to pin a flower as a botanical specimen.
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.
Wrestling. to secure a fall over one's opponent.
Digital Technology.
to bookmark (a photo or link) on Pinterest, a website and mobile application: He pinned a jacket from Macy's on his fashion board.
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.
Digital Technology. to bookmark a photo or link on Pinterest: I've been pinning a lot lately.
Verb Phrases
pin down,
to bind or hold to a course of action, a promise, etc.
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.
pin in,to fill (gaps in a rubble wall, etc.) with spalls.
pin up,to make (a piece of masonry) level or plumb with wedges.
Idioms for pin
get pinned,
(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.
(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.
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.
pull the pin, Informal. to end a relationship, project, program, or the like, because of lack of continuing interest, success, funds, etc.
Origin of pin
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” (see pinna); verb from the noun
SYNONYMS FOR pin
1 bolt, peg.
3 brooch.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR pin ON THESAURUS.COM
OTHER WORDS FROM pin
re·pin,verb (used with object),re·pinned,re·pin·ning.
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.
She had low-grade blood poisoning in her ear from the pin she used to pierce it.
‘My Crazy Love’ Reveals the Craziest Lies People Tell for Love|Kevin Fallon|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While that cause may be safely discarded, the correct one is hard to pin down.
The True Story of ‘The Elephant Man’|Russell Saunders|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And if there was a villain on whom to pin this whole struggle—it would be our inner demons.
The Walking Dead’s Luke Skywalker: Rick Grimes Is the Perfect Modern-Day Mythical Hero|Regina Lizik|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At one point in the Introduction, the coach opines, “history is hard to pin down.”
Mike Leach Tackles Geronimo the Motivational Murderer|James A. Warren|August 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You wear a pin that adjusts the temperature, lighting, décor, and entertainment to your preference.
Up To a Point: Robber Barons Make Way For Robber Nerds|P. J. O’Rourke|August 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As soon as Welcome could jerk the pin loose, he whirled and stumped furiously back in the direction of Chub and Penny.
Motor Matt's Daring, or, True to His Friends|Stanley R. Matthews
When pulling on the tie pin the arms of the holder tend to draw together and clamp it on the pin.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
How I rejoiced when I found a great author tripping, and was fairly able to pin him to a corner from which there was no escape!
Fragments of science, V. 1-2|John Tyndall
So he put a pin on his sleeve to remind him of it and to-night he brought me a whole lot of it.
Village Life in America 1852-1872|Caroline Cowles Richards
An' 'e sez there's a many as 'll do it, an' he tells Twitt—'Twitt,' sez he, 'Pin your faith on brave books!
The Treasure of Heaven|Marie Corelli
British Dictionary definitions for pin (1 of 3)
pin
/ (pɪn) /
noun
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
(in combination)pinhole
short for cotter pin, hairpin, panel pin, rolling pin, safety pin
an ornamental brooch, esp a narrow one
a badge worn fastened to the clothing by a pin
something of little or no importance (esp in the phrases not careorgive a pin (for))
a peg or dowel
anything resembling a pin in shape, function, etc
(in various bowling games) a usually club-shaped wooden object set up in groups as a target
Also called: cotter pin, safety pina clip on a hand grenade that prevents its detonation until removed or released
nautical
See belaying pin
the axle of a sheave
the sliding closure for a shackle
musica metal tuning peg on a piano, the end of which is inserted into a detachable key by means of which it is turned
surgerya metal rod, esp of stainless steel, for holding together adjacent ends of fractured bones during healing
chessa position in which a piece is pinned against a more valuable piece or the king
golfthe flagpole marking the hole on a green
the cylindrical part of a key that enters a lock
the cylindrical part of a lock where this part of the key fits
wrestlinga position in which a person is held tight or immobile, esp with both shoulders touching the ground
a dovetail tenon used to make a dovetail joint
(in Britain) a miniature beer cask containing 4 1/2 gallons
(usually plural)informala leg
be put to the pin on one's collarIrishto be forced to make an extreme effort
verbpins, pinningorpinned(tr)
to attach, hold, or fasten with or as if with a pin or pins
to transfix with a pin, spear, etc
(foll by on)informalto place (the blame for something)he pinned the charge on his accomplice
chessto 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
Also: underpinto support (masonry), as by driving in wedges over a beam
See also pin down
Word Origin for pin
Old English pinn; related to Old High German pfinn, Old Norse pinni nail
British Dictionary definitions for pin (2 of 3)
p-i-n
abbreviation for
p-type, intrinsic, n-type: a form of construction of semiconductor devices
British Dictionary definitions for pin (3 of 3)
PIN
/ (pɪn) /
n acronym for
personal identification number: a number used by a holder of a cash card or credit card used in EFTPOS