Pen Cap, Lid or Top?

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Rob Houghton
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Pen Cap, Lid or Top?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Split from 'What Are You Doing Now?'

I want to ask you all a bit of a silly question, for research purposes, as I'm not sure what to call - this -

Image

is it a 'cap' a 'lid' or a 'top'? Or maybe you call it something else?

I particularly would like to know if anyone remembers what Enid called it, if she ever mentioned one in a book?

:D Help appreciated!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
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Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

I would use the word - pen top. :)

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Post by Daisy »

I think cap or top but not lid, but I'm not sure.
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KEVP
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by KEVP »

I would call it a cap.

"Could you hand me the cap to this pen?"

However, the dialect of English I speak is a strange mixture of USA and Brit.
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Post by Eddie Muir »

I would also call it a pen top.
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Jack400
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Jack400 »

I too would call it a pen top, though cap would be pretty clear too.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by John Pickup »

Pen top for me. I can't recall Enid describing one though.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Machupicchu14 »

It's curious, but I can't recall ever using that word!! :lol: But I would say 'pen top'.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I usually say "lid" or sometimes "top". I just asked my son and he said the same.

I'm afraid I don't know what Enid called it, Rob (if she referred to it in her writing). I just checked The Mystery of the Secret Room and a short story called 'At the Bus Stop' because both feature pens. Unfortunately the lid/top/cap wasn't mentioned - or if it was I missed it. Pens appear quite regularly in the school stories, especially First Term at Malory Towers with the violet ink storyline, but again I don't know whether they contain the information you're looking for and I can't check as my copies aren't easy to access.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by joanne_chan »

I recall using the word cap for it when I first had a fountain pen would of been aged eight or nine, filled by hand for a bottle of ink in the recess of ones desk.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks for all your answers! I would normally say 'pen top' but thought maybe that was more casual, so perhaps 'cap' is more the right term.

I somehow thought I'd heard Enid call it a 'lid' and wondered if this was maybe an older term for it, but can't think where I read it (if I ever did!) :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Katharine
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Katharine »

I'm not sure what I'd call it, and the more I consider it, the more unsure I am! :roll:

I've a feeling that one of the school stories might mention what top/cap/lid, but wouldn't know which book, so not a lot of help really! :oops:
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Rob Houghton
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Katharine wrote:I'm not sure what I'd call it, and the more I consider it, the more unsure I am! :roll:
This is how I'm feeling too! :lol:
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Daisy
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Daisy »

I've just asked my husband and he immediately said "cap". He went on to say a cap encloses something to a degree, but a "top" might just sit on top of something.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

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Rob Houghton
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks Daisy. I'm coming round to 'cap' I think! :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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