pinion

== English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈpɪnjən/ Rhymes: -ɪnjən Hyphenation: pin‧ion Homophone: piñon === Alternative forms === pinnion (obsolete) === Etymology 1 === From Middle English pynyon, from Old French pignon, from Latin penna (“feather”). ==== Noun ==== pinion (plural pinions) A wing. (ornithology) The joint of a bird's wing farthest from the body. (ornithology) Any of the outermost primary feathers on a bird's wing. A moth of the genus Lithophane. ==== Verb ==== pinion (third-person singular simple present pinions, present participle pinioning, simple past and past participle pinioned) (transitive) To cut off the pinion of a bird’s wing, or otherwise disable or bind its wings, in order to prevent it from flying. 1641–2, Henry Best (author), Donald Woodward (editor), The Farming and Memorandum Books of Henry Best of Elmswell, 1642: With a Glossary and Linguistic Commentary by Peter McClure, Oxford University Press/British Academy (1984), →ISBN (10), →ISBN (13), page 115: When they are aboute fortnights olde (for they must bee driven noe longer) yow must watch where the henne useth to sitte on nights, and come when it beginneth to bee darke and throwe somethinge over the henne as shee broodeth them, then take and clippe every of theire right wings. Then when they are aboute moneths old, yow must come after the same manner and pinnion or cutte a joynte of every of theire right winges. ibidem, page 129: The Swanners gette up the younge swannes about midsummer [24 June] and footemarke them for the owners, and then doe they allsoe pinnion them, cuttinge a joynte of theire right winges, and then att Michaellmasse [29 Sept.] doe they bringe them hoame, or else bringe hoame some, and leave the rest att some of the mills and wee sende for them. 1665–1667, Abraham Cowley, The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley (fifth edition, 1678), “Several Diſcourſes by way of Eſſays, in Verſe and Proſe”, essay 9: ‘The ſhortneſs of Life and uncertainty of Riches’, closing verses, verse 3 (page 138): Suppoſe, thou Fortune could to tameneſs bring, / And clip or pinion her wing; / Suppoſe thou could’ſt on Fate ſo far prevail / As not to cut off thy Entail. To bind the arms of someone, so as to deprive him of their use; to disable by so binding. Synonym: shackle (transferred sense, figurative) To restrain; to limit. 1999: Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane, Sleepy Hollow, scene 14 I am pinioned by a chain of reasoning! Why else do his four friends conspire to conceal […] ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from French pignon. ==== Noun ==== pinion (plural pinions) (mechanical engineering) The smallest gear in a gear train. 1844, Edgar Allan Poe, The Premature Burial A certain period elapses, and some unseen mysterious principle again sets in motion the magic pinions and the wizard wheels. ===== Hyponyms ===== ===== Holonyms ===== ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Further reading === pinion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia pinioning on Wikipedia.Wikipedia flight feather on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === References === “Pinion, v.” listed on page 883/2–3 of volume VII (O–P, ed. James Augustus Henry Murray, 1908) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (1st ed.) == Chuukese == === Etymology === Borrowed from English billion. === Numeral === pinion billion == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French pignon. === Noun === pinion n (plural pinioane) gearwheel ==== Declension ====