Pin Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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[ pin ]

/ pɪn /

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noun

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR pin

1 bolt, peg.

3 brooch.

See synonyms for pin on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

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Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

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Idioms about 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

OTHER WORDS FROM pin

re·pin, verb (used with object), re·pinned, re·pin·ning.

Words nearby pin

pimple, pimple copper, pimply, pimpmobile, pimp up, pin, piña, pinaceous, piña cloth, pinacoid, piña colada

Other definitions for pin (2 of 2)

[ pin ]

/ pɪn /

noun Computers.

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.

Origin of PIN

p(ersonal)i(dentification)n(umber)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use pin in a sentence

It was a massive hit, and the safety-pin dress a brilliant cartoonish cherry on top of it.
Happy 20th Birthday, Liz Hurley’s Safety-Pin Dress|Tim Teeman|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The online community of tattooed pin-up models turned 13 this year.
Masters of Alt Sex: SuicideGirls Hits Puberty and Wants to Invade Your TV Set|Marlow Stern|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In other news, black and white pin-up shots are now officially less valuable than life-size Tiger Beat tear outs.
Justin Bieber Isn’t Even 21, Yet Makes More Money Than Meryl Streep|Amy Zimmerman|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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

Lorna planted several pin flags, then we continued cruising.
Knowing Where the Bodies Are Buried: An Excerpt From 'Lives in Ruins'|Marilyn Johnson|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Though, as everybody well knew, the doctor had forbidden her to lift so much as a pin!
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
He held the pin delicately between finger and thumb, and controlled her with his roguish eyes.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
The scolex is about the size of a pin-head, and is surrounded by four sucking discs, but has no hooklets (Fig. 96).
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
A grain—requiring to be picked out with a pin and microscope—of truth, with a bushel of bunkum or cant.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
Welcome jerked himself away from the book, whirled around on his wooden pin and pointed his knife at the book-shelves.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews

British Dictionary definitions for pin (1 of 3)

/ (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 care or give 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 pin a 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

music a metal tuning peg on a piano, the end of which is inserted into a detachable key by means of which it is turned

surgery a metal rod, esp of stainless steel, for holding together adjacent ends of fractured bones during healing

chess a position in which a piece is pinned against a more valuable piece or the king

golf the 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

wrestling a 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) informal a leg

be put to the pin on one's collar Irish to be forced to make an extreme effort

verb pins, pinning or pinned (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) informal to place (the blame for something)he pinned the charge on his accomplice

chess to 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: underpin to support (masonry), as by driving in wedges over a beam

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)

/ (pɪn) /

n acronym for

personal identification number: a number used by a holder of a cash card or credit card used in EFTPOS

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with pin

In addition to the idioms beginning with pin

pin back one's ears
pin down
pin money
pin on
pin one's heart on
pin one's hopes on
pin someone's ears back

also see:

hear a pin drop
on pins and needles