Main Entry:

¹pin

Pronunciation:

\ˈpin\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English pinn (akin to Old High German pfinn peg), perhaps from Latin pinna quill, feather — more at pen

Date:

before 12th century

1 a: a piece of solid material (as wood or metal) used especially for fastening things together or as a support by which one thing may be suspended from another bobsolete : the center peg of a target ; also : the center itself c: something that resembles a pin especially in slender elongated form <an electrical connector pin> d (1): one of the pieces constituting the target in various games (as bowling) (2): the peg at which a quoit is pitched (3): the staff of the flag marking a hole on a golf course e: a peg for regulating the tension of the strings of a musical instrument f: the part of a key stem that enters a lock g: a belaying pin2 a (1): a very thin small pointed metal pin with a head used especially for fastening cloth (2): little, trifle <bother them all! I don't care a pin about them — Bram Stoker> b: an ornament or emblem fastened to clothing with a pin c (1): bobby pin (2): hairpin (3): safety pin3: leg —usually used in plural <wobbly on his pins>4: a fall in wrestling