1
- an instrument for writing or drawing with ink, typically consisting of a metal nib or ball, or a nylon tip, fitted into a metal or plastic holder笔。
1.1
the pen
the occupation or practice of writing写作职业; 写作：she was forced to support herself not only by the pen, but as a secret agent.
她不得不靠写作和当特工来养活自己。
1.2
- an electronic pen-like device used in conjunction with a writing surface to enter commands or data into a computer电子光笔。
2
- Zoology the tapering cartilaginous internal shell of a squid【动】（枪乌贼的）羽状壳。
(penned, penning)with obj.
- write or compose写; 撰写：
he had not penned a line to Lizzie in three years.
三年来, 他没给莉齐写过一行字。
短语
pen and ink
- Brit. rhyming slang a stink〈英, 谐俚〉臭味, 臭气。
the pen is mightier than the sword
- proverb writing is more effective than military power or violence〈谚〉言语胜于刀剑, 笔尖胜过干戈。
put（或set）pen to paper
- write or begin to write something动笔, 开始写。
词源
Middle English (originally denoting a feather with a sharpened quill)： from Old French penne, from Latin penna 'feather' （in late Latin 'pen'）.
1
- a small enclosure in which sheep, pigs, cattle, or other domestic animals are kept（羊、猪、牛等家畜的）圈, 栏, 棚。
1.1
- a number of animals in or sufficient to fill such an enclosure一圈（或栏）家畜：
a pen of twenty-five Cheviots.
一圈25只雪福特羊。
1.2
- any small enclosure in which someone or something can be confined小围栏。
1.3
- a covered dock for a submarine or other warship（潜艇等战舰的）隐蔽坞, 掩藏坞。
1.4
- (in the West Indies) a farm or plantation（西印度群岛）农庄, 大农场。
1
penned, penning
with obj. put or keep (an animal) in a pen把（动物）关在圈中：it was the practice to pen the sheep for clipping.
把羊关在圈中剪羊毛是一种习惯做法。
1.1
pen someone up/in
confine someone in a restricted space关押, 囚禁（某人）：they had been penned up day and night in the house.
他们被日日夜夜关在那间房子中。
词源
Old English penn, of unknown origin.
- N. Amer. informal short for PENITENTIARY (in sense 1).〈北美, 非正式〉PENITENTIARY（义项1）的简称。