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quill
[ kwil ]
noun
- one of the large feathers of the wing or tail of a bird.
- the hard, hollow, basal part of a feather.
- a feather, as of a goose, formed into a pen for writing.
- one of the hollow spines on a porcupine or hedgehog.
- a plectrum of a harpsichord.
- a roll of bark, as of cinnamon, formed in drying.
- a reed or other hollow stem on which yarn is wound.
- a bobbin or spool.
- a toothpick.
- Machinery.
- a hollow shaft or sleeve through which another independently rotating shaft may pass.
- a shaft, joined to and supported by two other shafts or machines, for transmitting motion from one to the other.
- a rotating toolholder used in boring or facing internal angles.
- a musical pipe, especially one made from a hollow reed.
verb (used with object)
- Textiles.
- to arrange (fabric) in flutes or cylindrical ridges, as along the edge of a garment, hem, etc.
- to wind on a quill, as yarn.
- to penetrate with, or as if with, a quill or quills.
- to extract a quill or quills from:
to quill a duck before cooking it.
quill
/ kwɪl /
noun
- any of the large stiff feathers of the wing or tail of a bird
- the long hollow central part of a bird's feather; calamus
- a bird's feather made into a pen for writing
- any of the stiff hollow spines of a porcupine or hedgehog
- a device, formerly usually made from a crow quill, for plucking a harpsichord string
- angling a length of feather barb stripped of barbules and used for the body of some artificial flies
- a small roll of bark, esp one of dried cinnamon
- (in weaving) a bobbin or spindle
- a fluted fold, as in a ruff
- a hollow shaft that rotates upon an inner spindle or concentrically about an internal shaft
verb
- to wind (thread, yarn, etc) onto a spool or bobbin
- to make or press fluted folds in (a ruff)
quill
/ kwĭl /
- The hollow shaft of a feather, the bottom of which attaches to the bird's skin.
- One of the sharp hollow spines of a porcupine or hedgehog.
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Other Words From
- quill-like adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of quill1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of quill1
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Example Sentences
Then the fisher neatly skins the prickly prey, eating most everything except the quills and bones.
This is the first time that such a structure, which looks like the barb of a feather fanning off the central quill, has been spotted in the Milky Way.
Pad & Quill just unveiled its new leather AirTag case known as The Jimmy.
The rumor that porcupines can shoot or throw their quills at aggressors is only a legend, but there’s no need to test that out for yourself.
When threatened, porcupines release a strong odor meant to warn predators that quills are about to be deployed.
Guardians centers on Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), an intergalactic smuggler who swipes an orb.
The second feature involves a quill and inkwell that will also be featured on the front of the note.
“Both the quill and the inkwell are copper until you move the note,” said Lambert.
Edmund Morgan liked, especially, to teach his students how to make and sharpen a quill.
Most of West Plains learned the news from the front-page article in The Quill on March 21.
The only addition made to it when in use is the insertion of a quill or straw as a mouth-piece.
I may be a weak old fool, but I won't have them sold down there with quill wheels and warming-pans!
For a pen she would catch a goose, pluck a quill, and ask Billy to cut it.
The swish of a skirt seemed ridiculously loud in the hush, and the scratching of the judge's quill pen was noisily irritating.
The pen (calamus) was made of a reed brought to a point and cleft much as our quill pens are.
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