pen in
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle in
Meanings
Confine in a small area
Why “in”? Walls close around something. What is in is held inside.
“The sheep were penned in for shearing.”
“The chickens were penned in at night.”
Test yourself
“The sheep were penned in for shearing.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
bask in
Same in pattern: inside
Take great pleasure in attention, success or warmth
be in
Same in pattern: inside
Be present at home or at work
box in
Same in pattern: inside
Surround tightly with little room
breathe in
Same in pattern: inside
Inhale air
build in
Same in pattern: inside
Include something as a permanent part of a design
buy in
Same in pattern: inside
Purchase a stock of something for use later
chain in
Same in pattern: inside
Hold someone or something in place using chains
check in
Same in pattern: inside
Register at a hotel, airport or event; Hand over luggage to be loaded onto a plane; Briefly contact someone to update them
Practice “pen in” in Sink In
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