1 B2 neutral
to keep animals or people in an enclosed or limited area
"The farmers penned the sheep in before nightfall."
separable
pen in
B2 neutral separable transitive
to confine someone or something in a small enclosed space
In plain English
to keep someone or something shut in one small area
What does "pen in" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to restrict someone's movement or freedom by surrounding them or limiting space
"Roadworks penned us in, and we couldn't turn the car around."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to put into a pen
Actually means
to keep someone or something shut in one small area
Usage tip
Used both literally for animals and figuratively for people, crowds, or traffic trapped in a limited space.
Words that pair with "pen in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
cattle sheep crowd traffic animals protesters
How to conjugate "pen in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pen in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pens in
he/she/it
Past simple
pened in
yesterday
Past participle
pened in
have + pp
-ing form
pening in
continuous
Hear "pen in" in the wild
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Other ways to say "pen in"
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