| 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. 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. 3. <zoology> A spine of the hedgehog or porcupine. The pen of a squid. See Pen. 4. The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings of certain instruments. The tube of a musical instrument. "He touched the tender stops of various quills." (Milton) 5. Something having the form of a quill; as: The fold or plain of a ruff. A hollow spindle. 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. Quill nib, a small quill pen made to be used with a holder. Origin: Perhaps fr. F. Quille ninepin (see Kayless); but cf. Also G. Kiel a quill. MHG. Kil, and Ir. Cuille a quill. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| quillaia bark | <botany> The bark of a rosaceous tree (Quillaja Saponaria), native of Chili. The bark is finely laminated, and very heavy with alkaline substances, and is used commonly by the Chilians instead of soap. Also called soap bark. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| quillback | <zoology> An American fresh water fish (Ictiobus, or Carpiodes, cyprinus). Synonym: carp sucker, sailfish, spearfish, and skimback. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| quilled | Furnished with quills; also, shaped like quills. "A sharp-quilled porcupine. <surgery> " Quilled suture, a variety of stitch in which the threads after being passed deeply through the edges of a wound are secured about two quills or bodies of similar shape, in order to produce a suitable degree of pressure. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| quillwort | <botany> Any plant or species of the genus Isoetes, cryptogamous plants with a cluster of elongated four-tubed rushlike leaves, rising from a corm, and containing spores in their enlarged and excavated bases. There are about seventeen American species, usually growing in the mud under still, shallow water. So called from the shape of the shape of the leaves. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |