“quill” 常指羽毛笔(用鸟类羽毛制作的蘸墨书写工具),也可指(豪猪等的)刺。最常见义为“羽毛笔”。
/kwɪl/
I wrote the note with a quill.
我用羽毛笔写了那张便条。
With a steady hand, she dipped the quill into ink and signed the document as witnesses watched in silence.
她稳稳地把羽毛笔蘸入墨水,在见证人沉默注视下签署了文件。
“quill” 来自中古英语 quil,与古法语 quille(意为“管、轴、羽毛的中空茎”)有关,核心概念是“中空的管状物”。羽毛笔之所以得名,正是因为羽毛的羽轴中空,便于储墨与导墨。