hairpin

American  

[hair-pin] / ˈhɛərˌpɪn /

noun

1. a slender U -shaped piece of wire, shell, etc., used by women to fasten up the hair or hold a headdress.

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adjective

1. (of a road, curve in a road, etc.) sharply curved back, as in a U shape.

   a hairpin turn.

hairpin British  

/ ˈhɛəˌpɪn /

noun

1. a thin double-pronged pin used by women to fasten the hair

2. (modifier) (esp of a bend in a road) curving very sharply

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Etymology

Origin of hairpin

First recorded in 1770–80; hair + pin

Example Sentences

He was on course to improve on his final run but locked up into the hairpin and lost time.

From BBC

Russell easily passed him back down the straight to the hairpin of Turn 14 before Hamilton attacked and passed him around the outside of Turn One at the start of the second lap.

From BBC

She wears a gold wreath, and has hairpins of both gold and silver.

From The Wall Street Journal

But he learned to master this new machine that could achieve insane speeds and execute hairpin turns while taking crystalline video.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Very funny. I thought I might have lost a hairpin.”

From Literature