pinion

• Nom avec plusieurs sens : petite roue dentée engrenant avec une plus grande ou une crémaillère ; l'une des grandes plumes de l'aile d'un oiseau ; ou l'aile d'un oiseau.

A noun with multiple meanings: a small gear that meshes with a larger wheel or rack; any of the larger flight feathers of a bird; or a bird's wing.

1. Small gearC1formaltechnical

   A gear with a small number of teeth that meshes with a larger gear or rack, often used in machinery to transmit motion.

   Pignon (petit engrenage)

   • The pinion engages with the rack to convert rotational motion into linear motion.
   • The mechanic replaced the worn pinion in the gearbox.
   • A small pinion drives the large wheel in this clock mechanism.

2. Bird's flight featherC1formal

   One of the larger primary or secondary feathers of a bird's wing, essential for flight.

   Rémige (plume de vol)

   • The falconer carefully examined the bird's pinions for damage.
   • The eagle's pinions were strong and well-formed.
   • A broken pinion can prevent a bird from flying properly.

   Synonymesflight featherquill

3. Bird's wingC1formal

   The wing of a bird, especially when referring to its structure or function.

   Aile d'oiseau

   • The bird flapped its pinions and took off into the sky.
   • The artist sketched the delicate pinions of the swan.
   • The hawk's powerful pinions carried it high above the valley.

   Synonymespennonwing

• Verbe vieilli signifiant lier ou entraver les bras de quelqu'un, surtout en les attachant au corps ou à un objet fixe.

An archaic verb meaning to bind or restrain someone's arms, especially by tying them to the body or to a fixed object.

1. Bind the arms ofC1formal

   To restrain or immobilize someone by holding or tying their arms.

   immobiliser en liant les bras

   • The guards pinioned the prisoner's arms behind his back.
   • She was pinioned by the crowd and could not escape.
   • He pinioned his opponent's arms to the ground.

   Synonymesbindfetterimmobilizemanaclerestrainshackletie uptruss

   Antonymesfreeliberatereleaseunbinduntie

2. Cut the wings offC2formal

   To cut off the pinion (the outer part of a bird's wing) to prevent flight.

   Couper les ailes (d'un oiseau)

   • The falconer pinioned the hawk to keep it from flying away.
   • They pinioned the young birds to stop them from leaving the nest.
   • In some practices, birds are pinioned for domestication.

   Synonymesclipcutdocklopsheartrim