noun

pen

PEHN

noun

A handheld tool used for writing or drawing with ink.

"She signed the contract with a fountain pen."

A small fenced enclosure for keeping animals.

"The farmer moved the sheep into a smaller pen for shearing."

verb

To write something, especially a piece of text.

"The author penned a heartfelt letter to her readers."

To shut an animal or person into an enclosed space.

"The lambs were penned in the barn overnight."

How to Use Pen

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA tool for writing, a small animal enclosure, or (as a verb) to write something or shut something in.

Common mistake

The writing "pen" and the animal-enclosure "pen" are two separate words that happen to look and sound the same — they aren't historically related.

Common pairings

pen and paper pig pen pen a letter

Word Forms

penned past tense, pent past tense, penned past tense, pens plural, pens plural, pens plural, pens plural, pens singular, pens singular

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Fill the Gap

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She signed the contract with a fountain _____.

Etymology

The writing tool sense comes from Latin penna ("feather"), since early pens were cut from quills; the enclosure sense is unrelated, from Old English penn.

Synonyms

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Related Words

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Rhymes for pen

open ripen aspen dampen happen deepen reopen pigpen sharpen bullpen playpen misshapen

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