different between hex vs pent

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /h?ks/
• Rhymes: -?ks

Etymology 1

First attested about 1830, from Pennsylvania German hexe (“to practice witchcraft”), from German hexen (compare Hexe (“witch”)). The noun appeared later, in the 1850s. Cognate to Norwegian Bokmål heks (“witch”) and Dutch heks (“witch”), Dutch beheksen (“to bewitch”), Old English hægtesse (“witch, hag”). Related to hag.

Verb

hex (third-person singular simple present hexes, present participle hexing, simple past and past participle hexed)

1. (transitive) To cast a spell on (specifically an evil spell), to bewitch.

Translations

Noun

hex (plural hexes)

1. An evil spell or curse.
2. A witch.
3. (rare) A spell (now rare but still found in compounds such as hex sign and hexcraft).

Derived terms

• hexcraft

Translations

Etymology 2

Short for hexadecimal.

Noun

hex (uncountable)

1. (computing, informal) Clipping of hexadecimal.

Translations

Etymology 3

Short for hexagon.

Noun

hex (plural hexes)

1. A hexagonal space on a game board.
2. (climbing) a hexagon-shaped item of rock climbing equipment intended to be wedged into a crack or other opening in the rock.

Derived terms

• megahex

See also

• (climbing): nut

References

Anagrams

• exh

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?nt/
• Rhymes: -?nt

Etymology 1

From pen +? -t.

Noun

pent (plural pents)

1. Confinement; concealment.

Adjective

pent

1. Confined in a pen, imprisoned.
   • 1885, W.S. Gilbert, The Mikado.

     My object all sublime

     I shall achieve in time —

     To let the punishment fit the crime —

     The punishment fit the crime;

     And make each prisoner pent

     Unwillingly represent

     A source of innocent merriment!

     Of innocent merriment!

Usage notes

Use of bare “pent”, as in the Gilbert quotation above, has become less common over time. (Use of “pent up” or “pent in” remains about as common.)

Related terms

• pent-up

Translations

Verb

pent

1. (obsolete) simple past tense and past participle of pen; alternative form of penned

Etymology 2

Clipping of pentatonic.

Noun

pent (plural pents)

1. (informal, music) A pentatonic scale.

Etymology 3

Clipping of pentacle or pentagram.

Noun

pent (plural pents)

1. (informal, paganism) A pentacle or pentagram.

Anagrams

• ENTP, PETN

Danish

Adjective

pent

1. neuter singular of pen

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

pent

1. neuter singular of pen

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

pent

1. neuter singular of pen

Old French

Verb

pent

1. third-person singular present indicative of pendre