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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Quill \Quill\, n. [Perhaps fr. F. quille ninepin (see
{Kayless}); but cf. also G. kiel a quill. MHG. kil, and Ir.
cuille a 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.
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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. --Sir H. Wotton.
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3. (Zool.)
(a) A spine of the hedgehog or porcupine.
(b) The pen of a squid. See {Pen}.
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4. (Mus.)
(a) The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings
of certain instruments.
(b) The tube of a musical instrument.
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He touched the tender stops of various quills.
--Milton.
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5. Something having the form of a quill; as:
(a) The fold or plain of a ruff.
(b) (Weaving) A spindle, or spool, as of reed or wood,
upon which the thread for the woof is wound in a
shuttle.
(c) (Mach.) A hollow spindle.
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6. (Pharm.) A roll of dried bark; as, a quill of cinnamon or
of cinchona.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{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.
[Jocose]

{Quill nib}, a small quill pen made to be used with a holder.
--Simmonds.
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Quill \Quill\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Quilled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Quilling}.]
1. To plaint in small cylindrical ridges, called quillings;
as, to quill a ruffle.
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His cravat seemed quilled into a ruff. --Goldsmith.
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2. To wind on a quill, as thread or yarn. --Judd.
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