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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

4 entries under this word

Pen

Pĕn, n.

noun

n. [O. Fr. pĕnne, pene, Pr. pena, Pg., It., & Lat. penna, D. & Dan. pen, Sw. penna, Icel. penni, A-S. pinn.]

  1. A feather; a wing. [Obs.] Spenser. Milton.
  2. An instrument used for writing, formerly made of the quill of a goose or other bird, but now also of other materials, as of steel, gold, &c.;—often used figuratively for one who uses a pen; a writer. “As for those learned pens which report that the Druids did instruct the ancient Britons.” Fuller.

Bow-pen, drawing-pen, or ruling-pen. See BOW-PEN and DRAWING-PEN.—Dotting-pen, a pen for writing the notes of music, consisting of a pin moving vertically in a cylinder, and working with a spiral spring.—Fountain-pen. See FOUNTAIN-PEN.—Geometric pen. See GEOMETRIC.—Music-pen, a pen having five points for drawing the five lines of the staff, upon or between which the notes are written.

Pĕn, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PENNED; p. pr. & vb. n. PENNING.] To write; to compose and commit to paper. I believe that God is no more moved with a prayer elaborately penned, than men truly charitable are moved with the penned speech of a beggar. Milton.

Pēn, n.

noun

n. [See infra.] 1. A small inclosure for beasts, as for cows or sheep. 2. A dwelling house with its out buildings within an inclosure. “The admiral’s pen.” Maryatt.

Pĕn, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PENNED, or PENT; p. pr. & vb. n. PENNING.] [O. Eng. pinne, pynnen, to bolt a door; L. Ger. pennen, to fasten with pegs, to bolt; A-S. on-pinnian, to bolt in.] To shut in a pen; to confine in a small inclosure or narrow place; to coop. “Watching where shepherds pen their flocks at eve.” Milton.

Away with her, and pen her up. Shak.