pinheadn.adj.
/ˈpɪnhɛd/, U.S. /ˈpɪnˌ(h)ɛd/ A. n.† 2. A part of a plough holding a pin which is used to control how deep a furrow the plough cuts. Obsolete. rare.† 5. Quoits. The top of the pin or peg. Obsolete. rare.
1.
a. The head of a pin; frequently taken as the type of something very small, inexpensive, or insignificant. Also: an object resembling or suggestive of the head of a pin. Cf. pin n.1 8.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [noun] > that which is small > a small thing > typical examples of
little fingerc1300
pear1340
hair1377
flea1388
a pin's head (also point)c1450
fitch1550
mouse1584
minnow1596
the pestle of a lark1598
nutshella1616
pinhead1662
pinpoint1670
rope yarn1751
bee's knee1797
peanut1864
postage stamp1881
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > that which is unimportant > of little worth
ivy-leafc1000
needle?c1225
sloec1250
peasea1275
strawc1290
bean1297
nutc1300
buttonc1330
leekc1330
trifle1375
cress1377
goose-wing1377
sop1377
niflec1395
vetcha1400
a pin's head (also point)c1450
trump1513
plack1530
toy1530
blue point1532
grey groat1546
cherry-stone1607
jiggalorum1613
candle-enda1625
peppercorn1638
sponge1671
sneeshing1686
snottera1689
catchpenny1705
potato1757
snuff1809
pinhead1828
traneen1837
a hill of beans1863
gubbins1918
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [noun] > that which is small > a small thing
minutea1450
minim1590
mite1594
titmouse1596
moteling1605
atom1633
thingling1652
long-little1653
parvitude1659
bodikin1668
eschantillon1720
niff-naff1808
smolt1808
runt1819
titty-tottya1825
featherweight1838
thinglet1839
shable1842
thumb1854
nubbin1857
speckle1882
teeny-weeny1894
hickey1909
tiddler1937
pinhead1951
1593 T. Nashe Christs Teares f. 13 I haue..wasted myne eye-bals well-neere to pinnes-heads with weeping.]
1662 R. Mathews Unlearned Alchymist (new ed.) §86. 116 No more then a pin-head, and not a great one neither, but about one quarter of a grain.
1682 tr. J. Goedaert Of Insects §8 122 In the place of them [sc. a bee's wings], I cou'd Animadvert nothing; but 2 white points like Pin-heads.
1744 Philos. Trans. 1742–3 (Royal Soc.) 42 595 Here-and-there, there were some globular dark Spots, appearing, through the Fifth Magnifier, about the Size of very small Pin-heads.
1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) It is not worth a pin-head.
1876 J. Van Duyn & E. C. Seguin tr. E. L. Wagner Man. Gen. Pathol. 99 Round spots of the size of a pin-head or lentil.
1951 J. Cleary in W. Murdoch & H. Drake-Brockman Austral. Short Stories 439 The street lights are on, yellow pin-heads climbing the hill from the bay road.
1994 R. Preston Hot Zone 129 The pill was the size of a pinhead, and it had a pale brownish color.
b. Cloth woven with a pattern of small dots or checks; a garment made of such cloth. Cf. sense B. 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [noun] > of specific pattern
print1679
pompadour1758
zebra1819
pinhead1886
argyll1890
sponge bag trousers1900
tie-dye1926
houndstooth1936
1886 Portsmouth (Ohio) Times 4 Dec. (advt.) The four grades [of men's suits] are made of Cassimeres, Checks, Cheviots, Hair-lines, Tricots, Pin-heads, Plaids, [etc.].
1917 Times 17 July 4/4 Lounge suits, as sketch, in excellent quality Scotch and Irish Tweeds, and grey pinheads.
1935 L. A. G. Strong Tuesday Afternoon i. 11 Those chaps in the city had so successfully turned his blue pinhead that several people had..thought it was brand new.
1988 Financial Times (Nexis) 23 Jan. (Weekend FT) 15 Classic versions in pure wool..fabrics—chalkstripes, pinstripes, flannels, pinheads.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > tools and implements > ploughing equipment > [noun] > plough > ploughshare > part regulating angle of
pinhead1797
1797 M. H. Bartholomew in Lett. & Papers Agric. (Bath & West of Eng. Soc.) (1799) 9 ix. 112 (key to plate) Pinhead, by which the share may be set to make the drain a certain number of inches from the surface, or left deep.
1805 R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. Pl. vii. 40 Pin head for regulating share, so as to form drains at different depths.
3. Scottish and North American. A young or small fish; esp. a small minnow.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > order Salmoniformes (salmon or trout) > superorder Ostariophysi or order Cypriniformes > [noun] > suborder Cyprinoidei > family Cyprinidae (minnows and carps) > genus Leuciscus > leuciscus phoxinus (minnow) > young or small
shad-brid1688
pinkeen1831
pinhead1845
1845 S. Judd Margaret i. iv. 18 Minnows and pinheads were flashing and skirting through the clear, bright stream.
1962 Washington Daily News 12 July 62/5 Mild winters help the croaker crop... I suggest that hardhead fans release all pinheads when they show, to assure fun in 1963–64.
1975 J. Y. Mather & H. H. Speitel Ling. Atlas Scotl. I. 320 [Fife] The Fry of the Minnow, pin head.
1992 C. Wilkins Wolf's Eye 143 Tommy played in the shallow water and caught pinheads with his blueberry pail.
4.
a. colloquial. derogatory. A person with an abnormally small head; (figurative) a stupid or foolish person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > stupid person, dolt, blockhead > [noun]
asseOE
sotc1000
beastc1225
long-ear?a1300
stock1303
buzzard1377
mis-feelinga1382
dasarta1400
stonea1400
dasiberd14..
dottlec1400
doddypoll1401
dastardc1440
dotterel1440
dullardc1440
wantwit1449
jobardc1475
nollc1475
assheada1500
mulea1500
dull-pate15..
peak1509
dulbert?a1513
doddy-patec1525
noddypolla1529
hammer-head1532
dull-head?1534
capon1542
dolt1543
blockhead1549
cod's head1549
mome1550
grout-head1551
gander1553
skit-brains?1553
blocka1556
calfa1556
tomfool1565
dunce1567
druggard1569
cobble1570
dummel1570
Essex calf1573
jolthead1573
hardhead1576
beetle-head1577
dor-head1577
groutnoll1578
grosshead1580
thickskin1582
noddyship?1589
jobbernowl1592
beetle-brain1593
Dorbel1593
oatmeal-groat1594
loggerhead1595
block-pate1598
cittern-head1598
noddypoop1598
dorbellist1599
numps1599
dor1601
stump1602
ram-head1605
look-like-a-goose1606
ruff1606
clod1607
turf1607
asinego1609
clot-poll1609
doddiea1611
druggle1611
duncecomb1612
ox-head1613
clod-polla1616
dulman1615
jolterhead1620
bullhead1624
dunderwhelpa1625
dunderhead1630
macaroona1631
clod-patea1635
clota1637
dildo1638
clot-pate1640
stupid1640
clod-head1644
stub1644
simpletonian1652
bottle-head1654
Bœotiana1657
vappe1657
lackwit1668
cudden1673
plant-animal1673
dolt-head1679
cabbage head1682
put1688
a piece of wood1691
ouphe1694
dunderpate1697
numbskull1697
leather-head1699
nocky1699
Tom Cony1699
mopus1700
bluff-head1703
clod skull1707
dunny1709
dowf1722
stupe1722
gamphrel1729
gobbin?1746
duncehead1749
half-wit1755
thick-skull1755
jackass1756
woollen-head1756
numbhead1757
beef-head1775
granny1776
stupid-head1792
stunpolla1794
timber-head1794
wether heada1796
dummy1796
noghead1800
staumrel1802
muttonhead1803
num1807
dummkopf1809
tumphya1813
cod's head and shoulders1820
stoopid1823
thick-head1824
gype1825
stob1825
stookiea1828
woodenhead1831
ning-nong1832
log-head1834
fat-head1835
dunderheadism1836
turnip1837
mudhead1838
donkey1840
stupex1843
cabbage1844
morepork1845
lubber-head1847
slowpoke1847
stupiditarian1850
pudding-head1851
cod's head and shoulders1852
putty head1853
moke1855
mullet-head1855
pothead1855
mug1857
thick1857
boodle1862
meathead1863
missing link1863
half-baked1866
lunk1867
turnip-head1869
rummy1872
pumpkin-head1876
tattie1879
chump1883
dully1883
cretin1884
lunkhead1884
mopstick1886
dumbhead1887
peanut head1891
pie-face1891
doughbakea1895
butt-head1896
pinhead1896
cheesehead1900
nyamps1900
box head1902
bonehead1903
chickenhead1903
thickwit1904
cluck1906
boob1907
John1908
mooch1910
nitwit1910
dikkop1913
goop1914
goofus1916
rumdum1916
bone dome1917
moron1917
oik1917
jabroni1919
dumb-bell1920
knob1920
goon1921
dimwit1922
ivory dome1923
stone jug1923
dingleberry1924
gimp1924
bird brain1926
jughead1926
cloth-head1927
dumb1928
gazook1928
mouldwarp1928
ding-dong1929
stupido1929
mook1930
sparrow-brain1930
knobhead1931
dip1932
drip1932
epsilon1932
bohunkus1933
Nimrod1933
dumbass1934
zombie1936
pea-brain1938
knot-head1940
schlump1941
jarhead1942
Joe Soap1943
knuckle-head1944
nong1944
lame-brain1945
gobshite1946
rock-head1947
potato head1948
jerko1949
turkey1951
momo1953
poop-head1955
a right one1958
bam1959
nong-nong1959
dickhead1960
dumbo1960
Herbert1960
lamer1961
bampot1962
dipshit1963
bamstick1965
doofus1965
dick1966
pillock1967
zipperhead1967
dipstick1968
thickie1968
poephol1969
yo-yo1970
doof1971
cockhead1972
nully1973
thicko1976
wazzock1976
motorhead1979
mouth-breather1979
no-brainer1979
jerkwad1980
woodentop1981
dickwad1983
dough ball1983
dickweed1984
bawheid1985
numpty1985
jerkweed1988
dick-sucker1989
knob-end1989
Muppet1989
dingus1997
dicksack1999
eight ball-
1896 G. Ade Artie i. 3 I've got as much right to go out and do the heavy as any o' you pin-heads.
1906 J. London White Fang iv. iii. 209 Upon his meagre frame was deposited an even more strikingly meagre head. In fact,..by his fellows, he had been called ‘Pinhead’.
1923 P. G. Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves x. 100 That poor, misguided pinhead worked himself to the bone over it.
1976 New Yorker 15 Nov. 23/2 The pinheads and the armless and legless creatures scurry about to revenge themselves on a normal woman.
1993 J. Dee Liberty Campaign 177 If you leave they'll probably replace you with another pinhead.
b. U.S. slang. A railroad brakeman. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > rail travel > railway worker > [noun] > train-staff > brakesman or guard
brakesman1833
guard1842
rear guard1845
train guard1845
shack1899
provodnik1927
pinhead1931
1931 G. Irwin Amer. Tramp & Underworld Slang 146 Pinhead, a drug addict; a clerk; a railroad brakeman; a fool or numb-skull... The brakeman is slightingly referred to by engineer, fireman, [etc.].
1940 Railroad Mag. Apr. 49/2 Pinhead, brakeman.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > quoits > [noun] > peg
hob1589
block1598
pin1763
tee1789
pinhead1897
1897 S. R. Crockett Lads' Love xviii 189 Shouts of triumph as the guide-paper was snatched from the pin-head and buried deep in the clay.
B. adj.
1.
a. Resembling or suggestive of the head of a pin; very small.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [adjective] > extremely small
tinea1400
little weea1525
undersmall?1527
little little1542
perpusil1598
tiny1598
punctual1605
minute1606
pygmya1616
exiguous1630
atomical1646
minutulous1651
puncticular1658
arenulous1664
myriate1665
minimal1666
minim1671
infinitesimal1733
minutissim1768
weeny1790
midgety1798
teeny1802
pinpoint1807
atomic1809
homuncular1822
minnow1824
weeshy1825
pinhead1835
finitesimal1836
homoeopathic1838
teeny-weeny1842
teenty1844
teenty-taunty1844
teeny-tiny1849
submolecular1854
teensy1856
super-compact1860
midget1865
ultramicroscopic1870
pilulous1871
teensy-weensy1872
tee-tiny1872
minuscule1878
smitchy1888
eeny-weeny1894
eensy-weensy1904
pygmean1904
ultramicroscopical1904
bitsy1905
bitty1905
totty1906
millimetric1909
miniscule1909
minuscular1911
insectual1912
micro1931
eeny1933
eensy1940
submicrogram1941
submillimetre1954
diddy1963
mini1963
micro-mini1967
1835 A. Ure Philos. Manuf. 23 The other seldom knows any~thing beyond the pin-head sphere of his daily task.
1880 Bookseller 3 Feb. 236 Most of the covers so much admired for the ‘pin-head’ grain were really seal-skin and not morocco.
1963 Times 30 Apr. 13/4 The many heavy lorries which..only have one pin-head size nearside sidelamp.
1992 Camera & Darkroom Feb. 45/2 Photographs have been made through metal slits, zone plates.., and by pin-head mirrors.
b. Designating a pattern of small dots on cloth, or cloth with such a pattern.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [adjective] > patterned > spotted
seeded1810
pin-spotted1863
polka-dotted1872
pinhead1878
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [adjective] > patterned > spotted > pattern
bird's eye1586
pinhead1878
1878 Globe (Atchison, Kansas) 4 June Printed silks which have black grounds, with pinhead dots, stripes, or a delicate little flower in white.
1894 Daily Rev. (Decatur, Illinois) 24 Apr. 1/5 (advt.) 50 Pieces of 36-Inch Pinhead Check Dress Goods at 25c a yard.
1923 Daily Mail 12 June 3 (advt.) Greys are both light and dark, and include pinhead designs, herring-bones and stripes.
1993 J. Wilson Suitcase Kid (BNC) 140 Soft silks and velvets and different cottons with..minute checks and pin-head dots.
2. colloquial. derogatory. Stupid, foolish; = pinheaded adj. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > [adjective]
sloweOE
stuntc960
dullOE
hardOE
stuntlyc1000
sotc1050
dillc1175
dulta1225
simplea1325
heavy1340
astonedc1374
sheepishc1380
dull-witteda1387
lourd1390
steerishc1411
ass-likea1425
brainless?a1439
deafc1440
sluggishc1450
short-witted1477
obtuse1509
peakish1519
wearish1519
deaf, or dumb as a beetle1520
doileda1522
gross1526
headlessa1530
stulty1532
ass-headed1533
pot-headed1533
stupid?1541
sheep's head1542
doltish1543
dumpish1545
assish1548
blockish1548
slow-witted1548
blockheaded1549
surd1551
dull-headed1552
hammer-headed1552
skit-brained?1553
buzzardly1561
witless1562
log-headeda1566
assy1566
sottish1566
dastardly1567
stupidious1567
beetle-headed1570
calvish1570
bluntish1578
cod's-headed1578
grout-headed1578
bedaft1579
dull-pated1580
blate1581
buzzard-like1581
long-eared1582
dullard1583
woodena1586
duncical1588
leaden-headed1589
buzzard1592
dorbellical1592
dunstical1592
heavy-headeda1593
shallow-brained1592
blunt-witted1594
mossy1597
Bœotian1598
clay-brained1598
fat1598
fat-witted1598
knotty-pated1598
stupidous1598
wit-lost1599
barren1600
duncifiedc1600
lourdish1600
stockish1600
thick1600
booby1603
leaden-pated1603
partless1603
thin-headed1603
leaden-skulledc1604
blockhead1606
frost-brained1606
ram-headed1608
beef-witted1609
insulse1609
leaden-spirited1609
asininec1610
clumse1611
blockheadly1612
wattle-headed1613
flata1616
logger-headeda1616
puppy-headeda1616
shallow-patedc1616
thick-brained1619
half-headed1621
buzzard-blinda1625
beef-brained1628
toom-headed1629
thick-witted1634
woollen-witted1635
squirrel-headed1637
clod-pated1639
lean-souled1639
muddy-headed1642
leaden-witteda1645
as sad as any mallet1645
under-headed1646
fat-headed1647
half-witted1647
insipid1651
insulsate1652
soft-headed1653
thick-skulleda1657
muddish1658
non-intelligent1659
whey-brained1660
sap-headed1665
timber-headed1666
leather-headeda1668
out of (one's) tree1669
boobily1673
thoughtless1673
lourdly1674
logger1675
unintelligenta1676
Bœotic1678
chicken-brained1678
under-witted1683
loggerhead1684
dunderheaded1692
unintelligible1694
buffle-headed1697
crassicc1700
numbskulled1707
crassous1708
doddy-polled1708
haggis-headed1715
niddy-noddy1722
muzzy1723
pudding-headed1726
sumphish1728
pitcher-souleda1739
duncey1743
hebete1743
chuckheaded1756
dumb1756
duncely1757
imbecile1766
mutton-headed1768
chuckle-headed1770
jobbernowl1770
dowfarta1774
boobyish1778
wittol1780
staumrel1787
opaquec1789
stoopid1791
mud-headed1793
borné1795
muzzy-headed1798
nog-headed1800
thick-headed1801
gypit1804
duncish1805
lightweight1809
numbskull1814
tup-headed1816
chuckle-pate1820
unintellectuala1821
dense1822
ninnyish1822
dunch1825
fozy1825
potato-headed1826
beef-headed1828
donkeyish1831
blockheadish1833
pinheaded1837
squirrel-minded1837
pumpkin-headed1838
tomfoolish1838
dundering1840
chicken-headed1842
like a bump on a log1842
ninny-minded1849
numbheadeda1852
nincompoopish1852
suet-brained1852
dolly1853
mullet-headed1853
sodden1853
fiddle-headed1854
numb1854
bovine1855
logy1859
crass1861
unsmart1861
off his chump1864
wooden-headed1865
stupe1866
lean-minded1867
duffing1869
cretinous1871
doddering1871
thick-head1873
doddling1874
stupido1879
boneheaded1883
woolly-headed1883
leaden-natured1889
suet-headed1890
sam-sodden1891
dopey1896
turnip-headed1898
bonehead1903
wool-witted1905
peanut-headed1906
peanut-brained1907
dilly1909
torpid-minded1909
retardate1912
nitwitted1917
meat-headed1918
mug1922
cloth-headed1925
loopy1925
nitwit1928
lame-brained1929
dead from the neck up1930
simpy1932
nail-headed1936
square-headed1936
dingbats1937
pinhead1939
dim-witted1940
pea-brained1942
clueless1943
lobotomized1943
retarded1949
pointy-headed1950
clottish1952
like a stunned mullet1953
silly (or crazy) as a two-bob watch1954
out to lunch1955
pin-brained1958
dozy1959
eejity1964
out of one's tiny mind1965
doofus1967
twitty1967
twittish1969
twatty1975
twattish1976
blur1977
dof1979
goofus1981
dickheaded1991
dickish1991
numpty1992
cockish1996
1939 Bismarck (N. Dakota) Tribune 10 Oct. 1/6 Other mothers had the spirit to fight the pinhead politicians in hick health departments.
1947 H. S. Truman in M. Truman Harry S. Truman (1973) xvii. 349 I am of the opinion that the country has had enough of their pinhead antics.
2002 Entertainm. Weekly 20 Sept. 7/3 The pinhead programmers who view an artist of his stature as someone whose time has come and gone.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.adj.1662