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(often in compounds 常构成复合词 an instrument made of plastic or metal used for writing with ink (= coloured liquid for writing, etc.) 笔；钢笔 an ink pen 墨水笔 Let me grab a pen. 让我拿一支笔吧。 to use pen and paper 使用纸和笔 pen and ink 钢笔和墨水 - in pen
a message written in red pen (= using a red pen) 用红笔写的信息 - from the pen of somebody (figurative)
a new book from the pen of (= written by) Zadie Smith 査蒂·史密斯的新书
Extra ExamplesHis pen was poised, ready to sign his name. 他已准备好笔，随时可以签名。 I grabbed a pen and began taking notes. 我抓起一支笔开始记笔记。 My pen's run out. 我的笔没有墨水了。 The President has yet to wield his veto pen to block a bill. 总统尚未大笔一挥否决一项法案的通过。 This pen won't write. 这支钢笔不好使。 pen and ink drawings 钢笔画
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- ballpoint
- feather
- felt
- …
- use
- write (something) with
- grab
- …
- write
- run out
- be poised
- …
- nib
- cap
- ink
- …
- pen and ink
a small piece of land surrounded by a fence in which farm animals are kept 圈；围栏；畜栏 a sheep pen 羊圈
- (North American English, informal)
a penitentiary (= a prison) 钢笔： 监狱
Word Originnoun sense 1 Middle English (originally denoting a feather with a sharpened quill): from Old French penne, from Latin penna ‘feather’ (in late Latin ‘pen’). noun sense 2 Old English penn, of unknown origin.
Idioms
the pen is mightier than the sword
- (saying)
people who write books, poems, etc. have a greater effect on history and human affairs than soldiers and wars 笔诛胜于剑伐
put pen to paper
to write or start to write something 写；动笔
a slip of the pen/tongue
a small mistake in something that you write or say 笔误；口误 Sorry, it was a slip of the pen—I meant to write ‘pheasants’, not ‘peasants’. 对不起，这是个笔误——我想写的是“野鸡”，不是“农民”。