peen

American  

[peen] / pin /

noun

1. a wedgelike, spherical, or other striking end of a hammer head opposite the face.

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verb (used with object)

1. to enlarge, straighten, or smooth with a peen.

2. to strengthen (a metal surface) by light hammering or by bombardment with steel balls or shot.

peen British  

/ piːn /

noun

1. the end of a hammer head opposite the striking face, often rounded or wedge-shaped

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verb

1. (tr) to strike with the peen of a hammer or with a stream of metal shot in order to bend or shape (a sheet of metal)

Usage

What does peen mean? A peen is the round or wedge shaped end of a hammer, opposite its face.To peen is to enlarge, straighten, or smooth with a peen, as in Sahid smoothed the cut edge by peening it with a ball peen hammer.To peen is also to strengthen by lightly hammering it, as in In metal shop, we peened scrap pieces to learn how to strengthen metal.Example: Peen the bottom to give it a textured finish.

Etymology

Origin of peen

1505–15; earlier pen < Scandinavian; compare Swedish, Norwegian pen (noun) in same sense (perhaps < German Pinne peen). See pin

Example Sentences

Refurbished vintage ball peen hammers with ombré painted handles are already cropping up on Instagram.

From New York Times

That’s not to mention the dozens of similarly breathless tweets celebrating Pine’s peen.

From The Guardian

Moore was accused of beating them with a ball peen hammer and a roughly 4-foot-long section of a wooden handrail with two wall brackets still attached.

From Washington Times

So this is not about paying $250 for the wok spatula with a few ball peen hammer dimples, it is all about saying, “Look at me, I can crack an egg with one hand!”

From New York Times

Wright himself has made a variety of tools over the years, including a ball peen hammer, which is rounded on one end and flat on the other and which he showed to visitors.

From Washington Times