Definition of Pinion

1. Noun. A gear with a small number of teeth designed to mesh with a larger wheel or rack.

Generic synonyms: Cogwheel, Gear, Gear Wheel, Geared Wheel
Specialized synonyms: Lantern Pinion, Lantern Wheel

2. Verb. Bind the arms of. "They want to pinion the prisoners "
Exact synonyms: Shackle
Generic synonyms: Confine, Hold, Restrain

3. Noun. Any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird.
Exact synonyms: Flight Feather, Quill, Quill Feather
Generic synonyms: Feather, Plumage, Plume
Group relationships: Wing
Specialized synonyms: Primary, Primary Feather, Primary Quill, Tail Feather

4. Verb. Cut the wings off (of birds).
Generic synonyms: Disable, Disenable, Incapacitate

5. Noun. Wing of a bird.
Exact synonyms: Pennon
Group relationships: Bird
Generic synonyms: Wing

Definition of Pinion

1. n. A moth of the genus Lithophane, as L. antennata, whose larva bores large holes in young peaches and apples.

2. n. A feather; a quill.

3. v. t. To bind or confine the wings of; to confine by binding the wings.

Definition of Pinion

1. Noun. A wing. ¹

2. Noun. The joint of a bird's wing farthest from the body ¹

3. Noun. The outermost primary feathers on a bird's wing. ¹

4. Verb. To remove the joint of a bird's wing farthest from the body to prevent the bird from flying. ¹

5. Verb. To restrain by binding or holding the arms. ¹

6. Noun. The smallest gear in a gear drive train. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Pinion

1. to remove or bind the wing feathers of to prevent flight [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Pinion

1. A moth of the genus Lithophane, as L. Antennata, whose larva bores large holes in young peaches and apples. 1. A feather; a quill. 2. A wing, literal or figurative. "Swift on his sooty pinions flits the gnome." (Pope) 3. The joint of bird's wing most remote from the body. 4. A fetter for the arm. 5. A cogwheel with a small number of teeth, or leaves, adapted to engage with a larger wheel, or rack (see Rack); especially, such a wheel having its leaves formed of the substance of the arbor or spindle which is its axis. Lantern pinion. See Lantern. Pinion wire, wire fluted longitudinally, for making the pinions of clocks and watches. It is formed by being drawn through holes of the shape required for the leaves or teeth of the pinions. Origin: OF. Pignon a pen, F, gable, pinion (in sense 5); cf. Sp. Pinon pinion; fr. L. Pinna pinnacle, feather, wing. See Pin a peg, and cf. Pen a feather, Pennat, Pennon. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Pinion

pinheads
pinhold
pinholds
pinhole
pinhole camera
pinholes
pinic
pinic acid
pinier
pinies
piniest
piniform
pinin
pining
piningly
pinion and crown wheel
pinion and ring gear
pinioned
pinioning
pinionist
pinionists
pinions
pinite
pinites
pinitol
pinitols
pink-and-white everlasting
pink-collar

Literary usage of Pinion

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. An Introduction to Natural Philosophy: Designed as a Text Book, for the Use by Denison Olmsted (1854)
"151, if the pinion a has 10 teeth, and the wheel B has 100, a will move ten times as ... By varying the ratio between the number of leaves in the pinion, ..."

2. Marine Engineers' Handbook by Frank Ward Sterling (1920)
"The reduction gear may have a single pinion (see p. 747), or, where two turbines drive one gear, may be of the double pinion type. Pig. 1. ..."

3. The Monthly Review by Ralph Griffiths (1780)
"If the circumferences of the wheel and pinion were to run ... between the extreme circumference of the pinion and the extreme circumference of the wheel, ..."

4. Mechanics' and Engineers' Pocket-book of Tables, Rules, and Formulas by Charles Haynes Haswell (1920)
"To Compute Number of Teeth. RULE. — Divide circumference by pitch. To Compute Number of Teeth ill a pinion or Followe» to liave a ..."

5. Dyke's Automobile and Gasoline Engine Encyclopedia by Andrew Lee Dyke (1920)
"After engine is started, the starting pedal is released and the spring de-meshes the pinion (J) from flywheel gear (FG) and switch cuts-out and assumes ..."

6. The Monthly Review by Ralph Griffiths (1780)
"If the circumferences of the wheel and pinion were to run ... between the extreme circumference of the pinion and the extreme-circumference of the wheel, ..."

7. Scientific American Reference Book by Albert Allis Hopkins, Alexander Russell Bond (1904)
"mesh with slots formed in the edge of a pinion. The pinion is so mounted that it can be moved toward or from the center of the pin wheel to vary its speed ..."

8. Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge by Charles Knight (1840)
"A pinion generally means a wheel consisting of a less number of teeth than ... The teeth of a pinion are called leaves. The number of revolutions made by ..."

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