Agency Dictionary
Quill
nounPronunciation: /kwɪl/
In Portuguese: Pena
Writing & Narrative
History & CivilizationsWhat does “Quill” mean?
A writing pen made from the hard, hollow flight feather of a large bird, dipped in ink for calligraphy and manuscript writing.
Etymology
From late Middle English quyl, first attested in the early 15th century with the senses of fragment of reed and shaft of a feather. The word is probably related to Low German quiele and Middle High German kil (quill); its further origin is unknown.
Usage note
A quill is the hollow shaft of a large flight feather trimmed to a point and dipped in ink. The word is also used by extension for the spines of a porcupine.
Synonyms
- quill pen
- pen
Word family
- quilled
- quillwork
- quillwort
Rhymes with
- bill
- fill
- hill
- mill
- still
- chill
- drill
- skill
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Antithesisnoun
- A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
- Rebirthnoun
- A new beginning after a period of decline or destruction, used in mythology to describe the cyclical return to life after death. In Archetype.0, rebirth is the defining characteristic of both the Bennu and the Phoenix.
- Discursiveadjective
- Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
- paperweightnoun
- A small, heavy object placed on loose sheets of paper to prevent them from scattering or blowing away.
- quotationnoun
- A group of words taken verbatim from a published text or speech and repeated by another author.
- shogunatenoun
- A feudal military dictatorship in Japan, headed by a shogun, in which loyalty and honour were central to its operation. The system was exclusive to Japan and did not exist in other Asian nations.
- eppur si muoveother
- An Italian phrase meaning and yet it moves. It is used to affirm that a fact remains true no matter who denies it.
- omissionnoun
- The intentional or accidental act of leaving something out or excluding details from a statement or text.
- Treatisenoun
- A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
- Maximnoun
- A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
- verbatimadjective
- In exactly the same words as the original, word for word. Said of a quotation or a transcription that changes nothing.
- rhetoricnoun
- The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Also from these editions: terms
- Autonomousadjective
- Possessing the freedom and self-governance to act independently without external dictation or continuous supervision.
- Bamboozleverb
- To deceive, confuse, or frustrate someone through deliberate trickery or misleading assertions.
- Creakyadjective
- Making a harsh squeaking or groaning sound, or colloquially worn out, stiff, and aged.
- Cyclicadjective
- Occurring in cycles or regular intervals; periodically recurring in a predictable pattern through time.
- Epiphanynoun
- A moment of sudden and profound intuitive comprehension, clarity, or essential insight.
- Immaculateadjective
- Free from flaws, mistakes, or moral blemishes; perfectly clean, pristine, and stainless.
- Imperfectionnoun
- A fault, flaw, or inadequacy that prevents someone or something from reaching total excellence or ideal completeness.
- Mentornoun
- An experienced, wise, and trusted adviser who guides and nurtures the personal or professional development of a less experienced person.
- Protocolnoun
- An official procedure, established code of correct conduct, or standardized system of rules governing professional operations.
- Synergynoun
- The interaction or cooperation of two or more agents or parts to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their individual components.
- Tirelesslyadverb
- In an energetic, relentless, and determined manner that shows no loss of enthusiasm or willingness to stop.
- Allegorynoun
- A story, poem, or visual picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden symbolic meaning, typically a moral or strategic lesson.
Also from these editions: concepts
- Farewell, AuroraFarewell, Aurora (Adeus, Aurora) is a novel by Thiago Patriota, the author of the Agency editorial, published by Editora Sentient in 2022. Its heroine, Aurora, is a…
- Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso was a Spanish painter and sculptor, one of the founders of Cubism. In the Agency editorial he is above all the character of a short story: Issue.3 tells the…
- PlatoPlato was a philosopher of ancient Athens, a student of Socrates and the author of dialogues such as the Republic and the Symposium. The Agency editorial returns to him…
- SentientSentient (Sentient LTDA) is the Brazilian creative and communications company founded by Thiago Patriota, the author of the Agency editorial. It works across design…
- ShifuShifu is the old Buddhist monk of two short stories published in the Agency editorial. In The Finger and the Moon, in Issue.4, he meets the hiker Braveheart at the top of…
- Steve CarellSteve Carell is an American actor and comedian, known for the role of Michael Scott in the series The Office. In the Agency editorial, Issue.4 names him in a joke at its…
- BraveheartBraveheart is the lone hiker of The Finger and the Moon, the short story that opens Issue.4 of the Agency editorial. She is sitting on a rock at the top of the Andes…
- Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus was a Genoese navigator who crossed the Atlantic in 1492 in the service of the Spanish Crown. Issue.4 cites him once, in the author's prose about why…
- AgalmaAgalma is an ancient Greek concept denoting a precious offering, sacred statue, or interior treasure that inspires reverent desire and aesthetic devotion. In classical…
- AnankeAnanke is the ancient Greek personification and philosophical concept of necessity, inexorable fate, and the fundamental constraints of natural reality. It denotes an…
- Crisis LeadershipCrisis leadership is the practice of directing individuals and organizations through unexpected, high-stakes disruptions characterized by ambiguity and severe time…