pen
- Top 3000
Sense 1
- noun
- A1
a thin tool that you hold in your hand and use to write or draw with ink
Can I borrow your pen? Mine has run out of ink.
He signed the contract with a heavy silver pen.
The teacher asked us to write the test in pen.
She keeps a spare pen in her jacket pocket.
Common collocations: ballpoint pen · fountain pen · felt-tip pen · write in pen · borrow a pen · a pen and paper · the pen runs out
Part of: Writing, School and teaching, The office
Sense 2 · less common
- noun
- B2
a small piece of land with a fence around it where farm animals are kept
The farmer drove the sheep back into the pen.
We keep the young pigs in a pen behind the barn.
Someone left the gate of the pen open overnight.
Common collocations: a sheep pen · a pig pen · put animals in a pen · the gate of the pen
Part of: Animals, The garden
Sense 3 · less common
- verb
- C1
to write something such as a letter, a song or a story
She penned a long letter to her oldest friend.
He penned the song in one quiet evening.
The author penned three novels before turning thirty.
Common collocations: pen a letter · pen an article · pen a song · pen a novel
Part of: Writing, Books and reading
Forms
- past
- penned
- plural
- pens
- past_participle
- penned