PEN


Meaning of PEN in English

/ pen; NAmE / noun , verb

■ noun

1.

(often in compounds) an instrument made of plastic or metal used for writing with ink :

pen and ink

a new book from the pen of Martin Amis

—see also ballpoint pen , felt-tip pen , fountain pen

2.

a small piece of land surrounded by a fence in which farm animals are kept :

a sheep pen

3.

( NAmE , slang ) = penitentiary

IDIOMS

- the pen is mightier than the sword

- put pen to paper

—more at slip noun

■ verb ( -nn- ) [ vn ]

1.

( formal ) to write sth :

He penned a letter to the local paper.

2.

pen sb/sth (in / up) to shut an animal or a person in a small space :

At clipping time sheep need to be penned.

The whole family were penned up in one room for a month.

••

WORD ORIGIN

noun sense 1 and verb sense 1 Middle English (originally denoting a feather with a sharpened quill): from Old French penne , from Latin penna feather (in late Latin pen).

verb sense 2 and noun sense 2 Old English penn , of unknown origin.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.