pen (redirected from pens)

*in the bull pen 

1. Lit. [of a baseball pitcher to be] in a special place near the playing field, warming up to pitch. (*Typically: be ~; go [into] ~.) You can tell who is pitching next by seeing who is in the bull pen. Our best pitcher just went into the bull pen. He'll be pitching soon.

2. Fig. in reserve, ready if needed. I'm willing to be in the bull pen. Just call me if you need me.

See also: bull

pen (someone or an animal) in (some place)

to confine someone or an animal in a pen. We penned all the kids in out in the backyard while we got the party things ready in the house. We had to pen in the kids to keep them away from the traffic. Alice penned her dog in.

pen (someone or an animal) up

to confine someone to a confined space or an animal to a pen. He said he didn't want them to pen him up in an office all day. They penned up the dog during the day.

See also: up

pen is mightier than the sword

Prov. Eloquent writing persuades people better than military force. Believing that the pen is mightier than the sword, the rebels began publishing an underground newspaper. Alan: Why do you want to become a journalist? Bill: The pen is mightier than the sword.

See also: mighty, sword

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a pen pusher  (British & Australian) also a pencil pusher (American)

someone who has a boring job in an office He's a frustrated desk-bound pen pusher who dreams of trekking through jungles. (British & Australian)

a poison-pen letter

a letter that has no signature and says unpleasant things about the person it is sent to After he was convicted, his family received a number of poison-pen letters.

See also: letter

put pen to paper

to start to write something I keep meaning to write to her but I haven't yet managed to put pen to paper.

See also: paper, put

The pen is mightier than the sword.  (formal)

something that you say which means thinking and writing have more influence on people and events than the use of force or violence Reason is our greatest weapon against such tyrants. The pen is mightier than the sword.

See also: mighty, sword

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put pen to paper also set pen to paper

to write on paper You can e-mail us, or, of course, you can always put pen to paper and send us a letter.

See also: paper, put