peen

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.

The first records of the term peen come from the early 1500s. It is thought to have been borrowed from early Scandinavian. It is similar in origin to the term pen and pin.

The peen of a hammer comes in different shapes, such as a ball, wedge, and cross. Peens are almost always attached to hammers and rarely are seen on their own, but there are some specialized tools used only for peening something. Especially when using a flat or ball peen, the goal is to flatten or smooth out bumps, as well as to texture or dent something.

Occasionally, peen can be used as a verb meaning to hammer lightly, not necessarily with the peen, but with the face. Sometimes, peen is misused as vulgar slang for penis.

What are some words that share a root or word element with peen? 

• pen
• pin

What are some words that often get used in discussing peen?

• ball
• flatten
• hammer
• smooth
• texture

Peen is not commonly used, normally used in the context of construction, demolition, or mechanics.

Gordie Howe honored in hometown Saskatoon. Great scorer, Great competitor, Remembered best for elbows like Ball-peen hammers!

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) February 7, 2015

That which does not kill us makes us want to bash their heads in with a ball peen hammer.

— Danny DeVito (@DannyDeVito) December 10, 2010

Is peen used correctly in the following sentence?

The hammer fell peen first into the flimsy box.