pent-up — closely confined or held back; restrained or repressed
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: closely confined or held back; restrained or repressed
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌpent ˈʌp/
Example Sentences
- The dog's pent-up energy exploded when the door opened - it ran around like a furry tornado!
- After months of pent-up demand, customers rushed to the store like it was giving away gold.
- His pent-up creativity finally found an outlet through painting.
pent-up
ADJECTIVE[/ˌpent ˈʌp/]
closely confined or held back; restrained or repressed
After weeks of silence, his pent-up frustration finally exploded at the meeting.
Pent-up rage in a tent, shoulders bent with suppressed anger
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The term originated from the past participle 'pent,' a shortened form of 'penned,' combined with the adverb 'up.' It derives from the literal meaning of confining animals in an enclosure or pen, later extending metaphorically to describe suppressed emotions or energy held back.
Breakdown
pent (confined, past participle of pen meaning to enclose) + up (upward, completely), originally describing animals kept within a pen and later applied to restrained feelings or desires.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The dog's pent-up energy exploded when the door opened - it ran around like a furry tornado!”
“After months of pent-up demand, customers rushed to the store like it was giving away gold.”
“His pent-up creativity finally found an outlet through painting.”
“Years of pent-up resentment made their relationship impossible to repair.”
📚Related Words
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