pinion
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Related to pinion: rack and pinion
pinion
the outer part of a bird’s wing; a small toothed gear engaging with a larger one
Not to be confused with:
piñon – a pine bearing edible seeds; a type of pine nut
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
pin·ion 1
(pĭn′yən)n.
1. The wing of a bird.
2. The outer rear edge of the wing of a bird, containing the primary flight feathers.
3. A primary flight feather of a bird.
tr.v. pin·ioned, pin·ion·ing, pin·ions
1.
a. To remove or bind the wing feathers of (a bird) to prevent flight.
b. To cut or bind (the wings of a bird).
2.
a. To restrain or immobilize (a person) by binding the arms.
b. To bind (a person's arms).
3. To bind fast or hold down; shackle.
[Middle English, from Old French pignon, from Vulgar Latin *pinniō, pinniōn-, from Latin penna, pinna, feather; see pinna.]
pin·ion 2
(pĭn′yən)n.
A small cogwheel that engages or is engaged by a larger cogwheel or a rack.
[French pignon, from Old French peignon, probably from peigne, comb, from Latin pecten, from pectere, to comb.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pinion
(ˈpɪnjən)n
1. (Poetry) chiefly poetic a bird's wing
2. (Zoology) the part of a bird's wing including the flight feathers
vb (tr)
3. to hold or bind (the arms) of (a person) so as to restrain or immobilize him
4. to confine or shackle
5. (Falconry) to make (a bird) incapable of flight by removing that part of (the wing) from which the flight feathers grow
[C15: from Old French pignon wing, from Latin pinna wing]
pinion
(ˈpɪnjən)n
(General Engineering) a cogwheel that engages with a larger wheel or rack, which it drives or by which it is driven
[C17: from French pignon cogwheel, from Old French peigne comb, from Latin pecten comb; see pecten]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pin•ion1
(ˈpɪn yən)n.
1. a gear with a small number of teeth, esp. one engaging a rack or larger gear.
2. a shaft or spindle cut with teeth engaging a gear.
[1650–60; < French pignon cogwheel, Middle French peignon, derivative of peigne comb < Latin pecten]
pin•ion2
(ˈpɪn yən)n.
1. the distal or terminal segment of the wing of a bird consisting of the carpus, metacarpus, and phalanges.
2. the wing of a bird.
3. a feather.
v.t. 4. to cut off the pinion of (a wing) or bind (the wings), as in order to prevent a bird from flying.
5. to bind (a person's arms or hands) so they cannot be used.
6. to disable (someone) in such a manner; shackle.
7. to bind or hold fast, as to a thing.
[1400–50; late Middle English pynyon < Middle French pignon wing, pinion < Vulgar Latin *pinniōnem, acc. of *pinniō, derivative of Latin pinna feather, wing, fin]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
See also related terms for mechanism.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
pinion
Past participle: pinioned
Gerund: pinioning
| Imperative |
|---|
| pinion |
| pinion |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  pinion - a gear with a small number of teeth designed to mesh with a larger wheel or rackcogwheel, gear, gear wheel, geared wheel - a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion lantern pinion, lantern wheel - a small pinion having cylindrical bars instead of teeth, used chiefly in inexpensive clocks |
| 2. |  pinion - any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a birdfeather, plumage, plume - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds wing - a movable organ for flying (one of a pair) primary feather, primary quill, primary - one of the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird's wing tail feather - feather growing from the tail (uropygium) of a bird | |
| 3. | pinion - wing of a bird bird - warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings wing - a movable organ for flying (one of a pair) | |
| Verb | 1. | pinion - bind the arms of restrain, confine, hold - to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement; "This holds the local until the express passengers change trains"; "About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade"; "The illegal immigrants were held at a detention center"; "The terrorists held the journalists for ransom" |
| 2. | pinion - cut the wings off (of birds) disable, disenable, incapacitate - make unable to perform a certain action; "disable this command on your computer" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
pinion
verb immobilize, tie, bind, chain, confine, fasten, shackle, pin down, fetter, manacle His arms were pinioned against his sides.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
pinion
1 [ˈpɪnjən]A. N (poet) → ala f
B. VT [+ bird] → cortar las alas a; [+ person] → atar los brazos a
he was pinioned against the wall → lo tenían inmovilizado contra la pared
he was pinioned against the wall → lo tenían inmovilizado contra la pared
pinion
2 [ˈpɪnjən] N (Mech) → piñón mCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
pinion
n
(Mech) → Ritzel nt, → Treibrad nt
(Orn) → Flügelspitze f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995