pin */*/

I UK [pɪn] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "pin":
singular pin plural pins

1) a small thin piece of metal with a sharp point, used for holding cloth in place while you are sewing

2)

a) mainly American a piece of jewellery that you wear on your clothes. The British word is brooch.

b) a thin pointed piece of metal worn on your clothes as jewellery or worn to hold something in place

His tie was held in place with a small diamond pin.

3) a thin piece of metal or wood, used especially to hold things together

Steel pins held the handles in position.

a) one of the metal parts of an electrical plug that fits into the wall

a three-pin plug

b) the metal part that a soldier pulls out of a hand grenade before throwing it

c) a thin piece of metal that a doctor puts through a broken bone to support it

4) one of the tall objects that you knock over in the game of ten-pin bowling

5) pins

[plural] British informal old-fashioned someone's legs

She's still a bit shaky on her pins.

•

- you could hear a pin drop

See:

pins and needles

II UK [pɪn] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "pin":
present tense I/you/we/they pin he/she/it pins present participle pinning past tense pinned past participle pinned

1) to fasten something, or to hold it in place using pins

Lucy pinned back her hair and began to put on her makeup.

pin something to something:

Maps were pinned to the walls.

pin something on something:

She pinned the brooch on her dress.

2) to hold someone very firmly so that they cannot move

pin someone to/against/on something:

He had my shoulders pinned to the floor.

Two heavily built men pinned him against the wall.

Phrasal verbs:

- pin down

- pin on

- pin up