Pinion

Quick meaning: Pinion is a noun meaning (ornithology) The joint of a bird's wing farthest from the body.

Meaning

(ornithology) The joint of a bird's wing farthest from the body.

More Meanings

1. (ornithology) Any of the outermost primary feathers on a bird's wing.
2. A moth of the genus Lithophane.
3. To cut off the pinion of a bird’s wing, or otherwise disable or bind its wings, in order to prevent it from flying.
4. To bind the arms of someone, so as to deprive him of their use; to disable by so binding.
5. (transferred sense, figurative) To restrain; to limit.
6. (mechanical engineering) The smallest gear in a gear train.

Example Sentences

Never seraph spread a pinion / Over fabric half so fair.

See o'er the Alps his tow'ring Pinions ſoar, Where never Engliſh Poet reach'd before.

An argument that he is pluckt, when hither / He ſends ſo poore a Pinnion of his Wing,

Therefore do nimble Pinion'd Doues draw Loue, And therefore hath the wind-ſwift Cupid wings:

Word Forms

• pinions
• pinioning
• pinioned

Synonyms for pinion

Depending on context, synonyms include shackle, pennon, quill.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include quill, shackle, pennon, gear, sprocket, pulley.

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