Pin

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-dress 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.]