pen

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 (often in compounds) an instrument made of plastic or metal used for writing with ink: pen and ink * (written) a new book from the pen of Martin Amis seealsoBALLPOINTPEN, FELT-TIPPEN, FOUNTAINPEN 2 a small piece of land surrounded by a fence in which farm animals are kept: a sheep pen 3 (AmE, slang) = PENITENTIARY IDIOMS put pen to paper to write or start to write sth moreatSLIPn. verb (-nn-) [VN] 1 (formal) to write sth: He penned a letter to the local paper. 2 ~ sb/sth (in / up) to shut an animal or a person in a small space: At clipping time sheep need to be penned. * The whole family were penned up in one room for a month.