Pin

pin, n. a piece of wood or of metal used for fastening things together: a peg or nail: a sharp-pointed piece of wire with a rounded head for fastening clothes: anything that holds parts together: a piece of wood set up on end to be knocked down by a bowl, as in skittles: a peg used in musical instruments for fastening the strings: anything of little value.— v.t. to fasten with a pin: to fasten: to enclose: to seize and hold fast:— pr.p. pin′ning; pa.t. and pa.p. pinned.— ns. Pin′-butt′ock ( Shak. ), a sharp, pointed buttock; Pin′case , Pin′cushion , a case or cushion for holding pins; Pin′-feath′er , a small or short feather.— adj. Pin′-feath′ered .— ns. Pin′-hold , a place where a pin is fixed; Pin′-hole , a hole made by a pin: a very small opening; Pin′-mon′ey , money allowed to a wife by her husband for private expenses, originally to buy pins; Pin′ner , one who pins or fastens: a pin-maker: a pinafore: a head-dre with a lappet flying loose; Pin′-point , the point of a pin: a trifle; Pin′tail , a genus of ducks, one handsome species of which is a winter visitor to many parts of the British coast.— adj. Pin′tailed , having a long, narrow tail.— n. Pin′-wheel , a contrate wheel in which the cogs are pins set into the disc: a form of firework constructed to revolve rapidly while burning.— v.t. Pin′work , to work flax-yarn on a wooden pin so as to make it more supple for ease in packing.— Pin-fire cartridge , a cartridge for breech-loading guns; Pins and needles , a feeling as of pricking under the skin, formication.— In merry pin , in a merry humour; On one's pins , on one's legs: in good condition. [M. E. pinne , like Ir. and Gael. pinne , and Ger. pinn , from L. pinna or penna , a feather.]