Quill

Quill
Quill Quill, n. [Perhaps fr. F. quille ninepin (see {Kayless}); but cf. also G. kiel a quill. MHG. kil, and Ir. cuille a quill.] 1. One of the large feathers of a bird's wing, or one of the rectrices of the tail; also, the stock of such a feather. [1913 Webster]

2. A pen for writing made by sharpening and splitting the point or nib of the stock of a feather; as, history is the proper subject of his quill. --Sir H. Wotton. [1913 Webster]

3. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A spine of the hedgehog or porcupine. (b) The pen of a squid. See {Pen}. [1913 Webster]

4. (Mus.) (a) The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings of certain instruments. (b) The tube of a musical instrument. [1913 Webster]

He touched the tender stops of various quills. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

5. Something having the form of a quill; as: (a) The fold or plain of a ruff. (b) (Weaving) A spindle, or spool, as of reed or wood, upon which the thread for the woof is wound in a shuttle. (c) (Mach.) A hollow spindle. [1913 Webster]

6. (Pharm.) A roll of dried bark; as, a quill of cinnamon or of cinchona. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{Quill bit}, a bit for boring resembling the half of a reed split lengthways and having its end sharpened like a gouge.

{Quill driver}, one who works with a pen; a writer; a clerk. [Jocose]

{Quill nib}, a small quill pen made to be used with a holder. --Simmonds. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Quill — La partie volcanique de la montagne, le cratère The Quill depuis les ruines de la batterie d artillerie Saint Louis Géographie Altitude …   Wikipédia en Français

  • quill — like, adj. /kwil/, n. 1. one of the large feathers of the wing or tail of a bird. 2. the hard, hollow, basal part of a feather. See illus. under feather. 3. a feather, as of a goose, formed into a pen for writing. 4. one of the hollow spines on a …   Universalium

  • quill — [kwil] n. [ME quil, hollow stalk, weaver s quill, prob. < MLowG or MDu, as in LowG quiele, quill of a feather < ? IE base * gwel , to stick, stab] 1. any of the large, stiff wing or tail feathers of a bird 2. the hollow, horny stem of a… …   English World dictionary

  • Quill — Quill, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Quilled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Quilling}.] 1. To plaint in small cylindrical ridges, called quillings; as, to quill a ruffle. [1913 Webster] His cravat seemed quilled into a ruff. Goldsmith. [1913 Webster] 2. To wind on a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quill — [kwıl] n [Date: 1400 1500; Origin: Probably from Middle Low German quiele] 1.) also quill pen a pen made from a large bird s feather, used in the past 2.) a stiff bird s feather 3.) one of the long pointed things that grow on the back of a… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • quill — (n.) c.1400, piece of reed or hollow stem, probably related to M.H.G. kil quill, from Low Ger. quiele, of unknown origin. Meaning pens made from quills is from 1550s; that of porcupine spines is from c.1600 …   Etymology dictionary

  • quill — ► NOUN 1) a main wing or tail feather of a bird. 2) the hollow shaft of a feather, especially the lower part that lacks barbs. 3) a pen made from a quill. 4) a hollow sharp spine of a porcupine, hedgehog, etc. ORIGIN probably from Low German… …   English terms dictionary

  • Quill — Allgemeine Informationen Genre(s) Rock Gründung 19?? Auflösung 1970 Gründungsmitgl …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • quill — [ kwıl ] noun count 1. ) a long thin sharp object like a stick that grows from the body of PORCUPINES and some other animals 2. ) a large feather from a bird 3. ) an old fashioned pen made from a bird s feather …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Quill — Feathers in stages of being made into quills Ink bottle and quill A quill …   Wikipedia

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