peen

1 of 2

verb

peened; peening; peens

transitive verb

: to draw, bend, or flatten by or as if by hammering with a peen

peen

2 of 2

noun

: a usually hemispherical or wedge-shaped end of the head of a hammer that is opposite the face and is used especially for bending, shaping, or cutting the material struck

Examples of peen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Building one of these from a kit comes down to this: pin the parts together, peen over the pin heads, and grind the rough assembly smooth using a random orbit sander. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 28 Aug. 2023 Fit the scales over the pins (see my note below on using epoxy), and peen the ends of the pins down into the wood, locking everything together. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 28 Aug. 2023
Noun
Even several direct and very firm blows from a ball peen hammer delivered to the top piece of the lapped sample failed to break the bond. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 4 Aug. 2023 Get the tip of the cold chisel between the threads and give the chisel a sharp blow using a ball peen hammer. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 7 June 2023 Give the chisel a sharp rap with a ball peen hammer. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 7 June 2023 With the washer carefully placed, nestle the center punch in the notch and give the punch a gentle tap with a big ball peen hammer. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 2 Mar. 2023 There are various types, including ball-peen, sledge and mallet, but the 16-ounce claw hammer, which has a head that is split and curved on one side, should handle most jobs and isn’t too heavy to wield. Laura Daily, Washington Post, 24 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian penn peen

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1522, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1683, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peen was circa 1522

Dictionary Entries Near peen

Cite this Entry

“Peen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peen. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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