pen up
B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To keep a person or animal stuck in a small space so they can't move around freely.
Literal meaning: To put inside a pen (an enclosed area for animals).
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
To confine an animal in a pen or small enclosed space.
"The farmer penned up the sheep before the storm arrived."
Grammar: separable
2 B1
idiomatic
informal
To keep a person confined in a small or restricted space.
"The children were penned up inside all weekend because of the rain."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Most commonly used in a literal sense for animals kept in enclosures (pens, cages). When used for people, it carries a sense of unfair or uncomfortable confinement. The emotional sense (suppressing feelings) is less common and is more often expressed by 'bottle up'.
Commonly used with
animals livestock cattle children prisoners feelings
Forms
Base
pen up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pens up
he/she/it
Past simple
pened up
yesterday
Past participle
pened up
have + pp
-ing form
pening up
continuous
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Synonyms
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