pintle

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English pyntel, from Old English pintel (penis), from Proto-West Germanic *pint(i), from Proto-Germanic *pint- (protrusion), from Proto-Indo-European *bend- (peg, tip, protruding point, edge), equivalent to pin +‎ -le. Cognate with North Frisian pint (male member, penis), West Frisian pyt (male member, penis), Dutch piet (penis), German Low German Pint (penis), German Pint (penis), West Flemish pint, piet (tip, spike, penis), Danish pint, pintel (penis), Norwegian dialectal pintol (penis), dialectal Swedish pitt (penis). More at pin, pen.

Pronunciation

An illustration of a and a gudgeon (etymology 2, sense 1) which fits into it to form a pivoting joint.
A rudder system of a boat making use of pintles (blue, number 2) and gudgeons (etymology 2, sense 1.1; green, number 3).
  • IPA(key): /ˈpɪntəl/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪntəl

Noun

pintle (plural pintles)

  1. (now dialectal) The penis.
    Synonym: tarse
  2. (fashion) A pin on the buckle of a belt used to fit into the holes of the belt and hold it at the desired level of tightness.
  3. (nautical) A pin or bolt, usually vertical, which acts as a pivot for a hinge or a rudder.
    • 2005, James Meek, The People’s Act of Love, Canongate, published 2006, page 31:
      The train had a searchlight mounted on a pintle on a flat car.
    • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:pintle.
  4. (gunnery) An iron pin used to control recoil of a cannon or around which a gun carriage revolves.

Translations

Anagrams

Scots

Etymology

From Middle Scots pintel, from Middle English pyntel.

Noun

pintle (plural pintles)

  1. the penis

References