quill

[ kwil ]

noun

1. one of the large feathers of the wing or tail of a bird.
2. the hard, hollow, basal part of a feather.
3. a feather, as of a goose, formed into a pen for writing.
4. one of the hollow spines on a porcupine or hedgehog.
5. a plectrum of a harpsichord.
6. a roll of bark, as of cinnamon, formed in drying.
7. a reed or other hollow stem on which yarn is wound.
8. a bobbin or spool.
9. a toothpick.
10. Machinery.
    1. a hollow shaft or sleeve through which another independently rotating shaft may pass.
    2. a shaft, joined to and supported by two other shafts or machines, for transmitting motion from one to the other.
    3. a rotating toolholder used in boring or facing internal angles.
11. a musical pipe, especially one made from a hollow reed.

verb (used with object)

1. Textiles.
   1. to arrange (fabric) in flutes or cylindrical ridges, as along the edge of a garment, hem, etc.
   2. to wind on a quill, as yarn.
2. to penetrate with, or as if with, a quill or quills.
3. to extract a quill or quills from:

   to quill a duck before cooking it.

quill

/ kwɪl /

noun

1. 1. any of the large stiff feathers of the wing or tail of a bird
   2. the long hollow central part of a bird's feather; calamus
2. a bird's feather made into a pen for writing
3. any of the stiff hollow spines of a porcupine or hedgehog
4. a device, formerly usually made from a crow quill, for plucking a harpsichord string
5. angling a length of feather barb stripped of barbules and used for the body of some artificial flies
6. a small roll of bark, esp one of dried cinnamon
7. (in weaving) a bobbin or spindle
8. a fluted fold, as in a ruff
9. a hollow shaft that rotates upon an inner spindle or concentrically about an internal shaft

verb

1. to wind (thread, yarn, etc) onto a spool or bobbin
2. to make or press fluted folds in (a ruff)

quill

/ kwĭl /

1. The hollow shaft of a feather, the bottom of which attaches to the bird's skin.
2. One of the sharp hollow spines of a porcupine or hedgehog.

Other Words From

• quill-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quill¹

1375–1425; late Middle English quil; compare Low German quiele, German Kiel

Word History and Origins

Origin of quill¹

C15 (in the sense: hollow reed or pipe): of uncertain origin; compare Middle Low German quiele quill

Example Sentences

Written using quill and ink, the letter dated 4 September 1892 reveals the names of three engineers who installed a new type of light in the 30ft tower.

From BBC

His first book, a self-deprecating account of his life as a sports fan and husband published in 2007, “Why My Wife Thinks I’m an Idiot,” spent five weeks on the New York Times’ Best Sellers List and was nominated for a Quill Award.

From Los Angeles Times

At first glance, the page of notes scrawled on a Quill pad looks like an artifact of potentially historic significance.

From New York Times

A sworn statement from Hamelin Brands, the parent company of Quill, revealed that the pad didn’t go into circulation until 2012, four years after Bitcoin was invented.

From New York Times

I would exercise my First Amendment right to free speech—but in the old-fashioned way: by scratching out pamphlets with a quill pen and handing them out on the street.

From Slate