pencil en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈpɛnsəl/
- /ˈpɛntsəl/
- /ˈpɛnsɪl/ (Received-Pronunciation, South-Asia, also)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman and Old French pincil (see the variant pincel, which gave rise to Modern French pinceau (“paintbrush”)), from Latin pēnicillum, diminutive of pēniculus (“brush”), itself a diminutive of pēnis (“tail; penis”). Doublet of penis. Not related to pen.
Meanings
- A writing utensil with a graphite (commonly referred to as lead) shaft, usually blended with clay, clad in wood, and sharpened to a taper.
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An aggregate or collection of rays of light, especially when diverging from, or converging to, a point.
[T]hey all ran off into the night to the miser’s ruined castle, with its solitary pencil of light in its high turret chamber[.]
1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 64:
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A family of geometric objects with a common property, such as the set of lines that pass through a given point in a projective plane.
A drillable robot is capable of placing its end link in any orientation in the pencil of planes containing its first link.
1987, R. E. Trahan, Applied Identification, Modelling and Simulation, page 107:Let l and m be two hyperparallel lines. All the transversals to l and m that form congruent corresponding angles with l and m lie in a pencil.
2012, G. E. Martin, The Foundations of Geometry and the Non-Euclidean Plane, page 357:When, by the pencil becoming oblique to the surface, the vergency produced on the pencil becomes changed, the primary and secondary focal points, V and H, separate […]
1863, The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal:
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(historical) A paintbrush.
He requested three things of Sir Joshua Reynolds:—To forgive him thirty pounds which he had borrowed of him; to read the Bible; and never to use his pencil on a Sunday.
1791, James Boswell, Life of Johnson, Oxford, published 2008, page 1390:But living art may not least part expresse, / Nor life-resembling pencill it can paynt[…].
1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Prologue”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 389:why is it not lawfull for every man to pourtray himself with his pen, as it was for him to doe it with a pensell?
1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 17, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
- (obsolete, rare) A small medicated bougie.
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(obsolete) A small, thin tuft of hairs or feathers.
It is almost entirely of a slatey colour, with yellow bill and feet, but the feathers of the rump and upper tail-coverts each terminate in a rigid, glossy pencil or tuft of a vivid crimson.
1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., page 431:
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(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of power of the pencil.
alt of power of the pencil
And most important of all, Cully now had 'The Pencil', that most coveted of Las Vegas powers.
1978, Mario Puzo, Fools Die:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pensill | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| pencils | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
HB pencil · bow pencil · coloured pencil · kohl pencil · pencil neck · pencil fever · pencilwork · wax pencil · time pencil · colouring pencil · technical pencil · not the sharpest pencil in the box · click pencil · pencil tree · pencilful · pencil holder · pencil cedar · color pencil · pencil dick · retractable pencil · slate pencil · pencil-skirted · pencil case · pencil parer · golf pencil · red-pencil · beard pencil · number 2 pencil · automatic pencil · pencil-necked · pencil-blue · pencil flower · pencil topper · caustic pencil · pencil-post bed · pencilliform · pencil ladder · pencilmaking · № 2 pencil · pencil test · pencil box · hot pencil · pencil pine · coloring pencil · pencilbeam · mechanical pencil · colour pencil · pencil skirt · pen pencil · pencil pushing · carpenter pencil · pencil torch · pencillike · power of the pencil · pencil pleat · pencil tower · blue pencil doctrine · grease pencil · lead pencil · pencil squid · pencil sharpener · pencil geek · blue-pencil · china pencil · pencil mustache · pencilly · pencilless · pencil crayon · pencil-neck · colored pencil · pencil cricket · hair pencil · pencil fish · pencil stub · penciler · pencillate · pencil detonator · pencil pusher · pencil-thin · eyebrow pencil · pencil lead · carpenter's pencil · styptic pencil · pencil moustache · drafting pencil · propelling pencil · pencil-pusher · lead in one's pencil · pencil pointer · pencil whip · pencil heel · pencilmaker · pencil pouch · clutch pencil
Descendants
پينْسِل · pinsil · بِنْسِل · ފަންސުރު · pènsìl · pinjel · pinsil · peansail · pisil · pensel · penseli · pensur · pinjeļ · ípénseli · پؠنسَل · pensil · pinsil · fensir · Bensil · pensil · పెన్సిలు · പെൻസിൽ · pinsil · پِنْسِل · पेन्सिल · pensil · pensel · pensil · पेंसिल · pẹ́ńsù · ípénsile · pènsil
Synonyms
Translations (234)
bg мо́лив (graphite writing-instrument) · mfe kreyon (graphite writing-instrument) · vi bút chì (graphite writing-instrument) · mwl lhápeç (graphite writing-instrument) · mkj pinjel (graphite writing-instrument) · nl griffel (slate writing-instrument) · lo ສໍ (graphite writing-instrument) · pt lápis (graphite writing-instrument) · fy potlead (graphite writing-instrument) · vi viết chì (graphite writing-instrument) · ln kilapi (graphite writing-instrument) · az karandaş (graphite writing-instrument) · csb òłówk (graphite writing-instrument) · yo pẹ́ńsù (graphite writing-instrument) · dng галан (graphite writing-instrument) · vo gliv (slate writing-instrument) · la graphis (graphite writing-instrument) · mt lapes (graphite writing-instrument) · si පැන්සල (graphite writing-instrument) · za yienzbit (graphite writing-instrument) · ady къэлэм (graphite writing-instrument) · ur پِنْسِل (graphite writing-instrument) · stq Bläipänne (graphite writing-instrument) · hy մատիտ (graphite writing-instrument) · sh òlōvka (graphite writing-instrument) · as পেঞ্চিল (graphite writing-instrument) · de Tafelstift (slate writing-instrument) · zza qelem (graphite writing-instrument) · sw penseli (graphite writing-instrument) · lv zīmulis (graphite writing-instrument) · tk galam (graphite writing-instrument) · sl svinčnik (graphite writing-instrument) · su potlot (graphite writing-instrument) · hsb wołojnik (graphite writing-instrument) · oc gredon (graphite writing-instrument) · hu ceruza (graphite writing-instrument) · wuu 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · prs پِنْسِل (graphite writing-instrument) · fo blýantur (graphite writing-instrument) · lb Kräijong (graphite writing-instrument) · id pensil (graphite writing-instrument) · de Griffel (slate writing-instrument) · chr ᏗᎪᏪᎶᏗ (graphite writing-instrument) · rue церуза (graphite writing-instrument) · lo ສໍດຳ (graphite writing-instrument) · ms ڤينسيل (graphite writing-instrument) · lt pieštukas (graphite writing-instrument) · ur پینْسِل (graphite writing-instrument) · dng гәран (graphite writing-instrument) · nrf crèyon (graphite writing-instrument) · el κοντύλι (slate writing-instrument) · ha fensir (graphite writing-instrument) · frr bliistift (graphite writing-instrument) · ar قَلَم (graphite writing-instrument) · gv penn leoaie (graphite writing-instrument) · om qubeessaa (graphite writing-instrument) · mnp 洋筆 /洋笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · te పెన్సిలు (graphite writing-instrument) · ba ҡәләм (graphite writing-instrument) · dng гэран (graphite writing-instrument) · stq Bläi (graphite writing-instrument) · bn অঙ্কনী (graphite writing-instrument) · it lapis (graphite writing-instrument) · mi pene rākau (graphite writing-instrument) · cs olůvko (graphite writing-instrument) · aig blakled (graphite writing-instrument) · ckb پێنووس (graphite writing-instrument) · xal харанда (graphite writing-instrument) · vo stib (graphite writing-instrument) · am እርሳስ (graphite writing-instrument) · rue клайбас (graphite writing-instrument) · kk қарындаш (graphite writing-instrument) · frr bläiant (graphite writing-instrument) · uz karandash (graphite writing-instrument) · hi अंकनी (graphite writing-instrument) · ast llapiceru (graphite writing-instrument) · az qələm (graphite writing-instrument) · eu lapitz (graphite writing-instrument) · tl lapis (graphite writing-instrument) · el μολύβι (graphite writing-instrument) · sah харандаас (graphite writing-instrument) · da blyant (graphite writing-instrument) · dsb wołojnik (graphite writing-instrument) · km ខ្មៅដៃ (graphite writing-instrument) · cs tužka (graphite writing-instrument) · et krihvel (slate writing-instrument) · pl ołówek (graphite writing-instrument) · ia stilo de graphite (graphite writing-instrument) · de Buntstift (graphite writing-instrument) · iu ᐊᓪᓛᑦ (graphite writing-instrument) · tr kalem (graphite writing-instrument) · wym błajśtift (graphite writing-instrument) · krl kynä (graphite writing-instrument) · zhx-tai 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · fa-ira مِداد (graphite writing-instrument) · cdo 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · tt каләм (graphite writing-instrument) · csm sykýˀ-ja- (graphite writing-instrument) · mn харандаа (graphite writing-instrument) · is blýantur (graphite writing-instrument) · hak 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · jv potlot (graphite writing-instrument) · rmf blyijako ranniboskero (graphite writing-instrument) · se liánta (graphite writing-instrument) · ia stilo (graphite writing-instrument) · ro creion (graphite writing-instrument) · ht kreyon (graphite writing-instrument) · nl potlood (graphite writing-instrument) · tet lapis (graphite writing-instrument) · kw pluven-blomm (graphite writing-instrument) · pa ਪੈਨਸਿਲ (graphite writing-instrument) · ne सिसाकलम (graphite writing-instrument) · za yenzbiz (graphite writing-instrument) · nan-tws 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · os кърандас (graphite writing-instrument) · so qalin qori (graphite writing-instrument) · scn lapis (graphite writing-instrument) · sco pincil (graphite writing-instrument) · frr Blijant (graphite writing-instrument) · fi kynä (graphite writing-instrument) · ta எழுதுகோல் (graphite writing-instrument) · my ခဲတံ (graphite writing-instrument) · ky карандаш (graphite writing-instrument) · yi בלײַשטיפֿט (graphite writing-instrument) · mel pisil (graphite writing-instrument) · ast llápiz (graphite writing-instrument) · kn ಪೆನ್ಸಿಲ್ (graphite writing-instrument) · ay lapisa (graphite writing-instrument) · gl lapis (graphite writing-instrument) · liv bleifēdõr (graphite writing-instrument) · li blieèrsstek (graphite writing-instrument) · be ало́вак (graphite writing-instrument) · cv кӑранташ (graphite writing-instrument) · mh pinjeļ (graphite writing-instrument) · tl pensil (graphite writing-instrument) · sk ceruzka (graphite writing-instrument) · sm penitala (graphite writing-instrument) · mk молив (graphite writing-instrument) · cmn 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · hi पेंसिल (graphite writing-instrument) · sh пи́са̄љка (graphite writing-instrument) · mnp 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · yue 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · gan 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · ky калем (graphite writing-instrument) · sh о̀ло̄вка (graphite writing-instrument) · cjy 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · ca llapis (graphite writing-instrument) · frr bliiant (Karrharde, Ockholm) (graphite writing-instrument) · nn blyant (graphite writing-instrument) · ti ርሳስ (graphite writing-instrument) · lg ekalamu (graphite writing-instrument) · ru каранда́ш (graphite writing-instrument) · fr crayon (graphite writing-instrument) · ug قېرىنداش (graphite writing-instrument) · frr blijant (graphite writing-instrument) · mr पेन्सिल (graphite writing-instrument) · rsk клайбас (graphite writing-instrument) · sq kalem (graphite writing-instrument) · eu arkatz (graphite writing-instrument) · la praeductal (graphite writing-instrument) · es lápiz (graphite writing-instrument) · it matita (graphite writing-instrument) · dtp pinsil (graphite writing-instrument) · ms pensel (graphite writing-instrument) · kbd къэрэндащ (graphite writing-instrument) · gu સીસાપેન (graphite writing-instrument) · syl ꠇꠣꠉ꠆ꠎꠤ (graphite writing-instrument) · ga peann luaidhe (graphite writing-instrument) · bo ཞ་སྨྱུག (graphite writing-instrument) · lb Bläistëft (graphite writing-instrument) · ko 연필 (graphite writing-instrument) · khb ᦔᦲᧉᦎᦱᧃᧈ (graphite writing-instrument) · tg қалам (graphite writing-instrument) · ro condei (slate writing-instrument) · uz qalam (graphite writing-instrument) · kk қалам (graphite writing-instrument) · sv penna (graphite writing-instrument) · id potlot (graphite writing-instrument) · sk ceruza (graphite writing-instrument) · he עִפָּרוֹן (graphite writing-instrument) · ota خامه (graphite writing-instrument) · gd peansail (graphite writing-instrument) · dv ފަންސުރު (graphite writing-instrument) · af potlood (graphite writing-instrument) · ml പെൻസിൽ (graphite writing-instrument) · szl blajsztyft (graphite writing-instrument) · sh písāljka (graphite writing-instrument) · la plumbum (graphite writing-instrument) · eo krajono (graphite writing-instrument) · be каранда́ш (graphite writing-instrument) · cy pensil (graphite writing-instrument) · esu kalantaassaaq (graphite writing-instrument) · fi lyijykynä (graphite writing-instrument) · kmr qelemrisas (graphite writing-instrument) · hrx Lappis (graphite writing-instrument) · ps پنسل (graphite writing-instrument) · or ପେନ୍ସିଲ୍ (graphite writing-instrument) · nv beeʼakʼeʼelchíhí (graphite writing-instrument) · de Bleistift (graphite writing-instrument) · frr pokluad (graphite writing-instrument) · stq Bläistikke (graphite writing-instrument) · ltg zeimuļs (graphite writing-instrument) · ota قلم (graphite writing-instrument) · kl aqerluusaq (graphite writing-instrument) · as কাঠ-পেঞ্চিল (graphite writing-instrument) · bol pensur (graphite writing-instrument) · sq laps (graphite writing-instrument) · ka ფანქარი (graphite writing-instrument) · ar قَلَم رَصَاص (graphite writing-instrument) · hrx Bleistift (graphite writing-instrument) · uk оліве́ць (graphite writing-instrument) · tg мидод (graphite writing-instrument) · nan-hbl 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · crh qarandaş (graphite writing-instrument) · mn ᠬᠠᠷᠠᠨᠳᠠ (graphite writing-instrument) · ja 鉛筆 (graphite writing-instrument) · av къалам (graphite writing-instrument) · nb blyant (graphite writing-instrument) · yi בלײַער (graphite writing-instrument) · frr bliant (Rodenäs) (graphite writing-instrument) · mg pensily (graphite writing-instrument) · gv pensyl (graphite writing-instrument) · et pliiats (graphite writing-instrument) · hsn 鉛筆 /铅笔 (graphite writing-instrument) · io krayono (graphite writing-instrument) · sv blyertspenna (graphite writing-instrument) · bn পেনসিল (graphite writing-instrument) · ce къолам (graphite writing-instrument) · bg моли́в (graphite writing-instrument) · frr bläijant (Langenhorn) (graphite writing-instrument) · th ดินสอ (graphite writing-instrument) · xh ípénsile class c9 (graphite writing-instrument) · tr kurşun kalem (graphite writing-instrument)