pencil

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“
This pencil is a man, any man.

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Definitions (48)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (11)

  1. noun A narrow, generally cylindrical implement for writing, drawing, or marking, consisting of a thin rod of graphite, colored wax, or similar substance encased in wood or held in a mechanical holder.
  2. noun Something shaped or used like a pencil, especially a narrow medicated or cosmetic stick: an eyebrow pencil.
  3. noun A style or technique in drawing or delineating.
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Examples (50)

  • In writing the common script the pencil is always used, the pen never. —  The World As I Have Found It
  • In his absorbed condition of mind he had not noticed the breaking of his pencil, and had proceeded with his writing, as the scratched paper, on which the traces of the wood of the pencil were visible, but not legible, indicated. —  The World As I Have Found It
  • I pretended my pencil was a cigarette and my juice box was a cocktail ... and suddenly, it wasn't indoor recess anymore. —  Maureen's Blog
  • The plasma pencil is a hollow tube about 2.5 cm in diameter that contains two copper electrodes. —  PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories
  • Emmy Lou did not know When she came back to her desk the pencil was there. —  Americans All Stories of American Life of To-Day
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This word has been looked up 138 times.

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English pencel, artist's brush, from Old French pincel, peincel, from Vulgar Latin *pēnicellus, alteration of Latin pēnicillus, diminutive of pēniculus, diminutive of pēnis, tail, brush; see pes- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Early modern English also pensil, pensill; from Middle English pencel, pincel = Dutch penseel = Middle Low German pinsel = Middle High German pensel, bensel, German pinsel = Icelandic (modern) pensill = Swedish Danish pensel, from Old French pincel, French pinceau = Provencal pinzel = Spanish Portuguese pincel (Middle Latin pinsellus, pincellus), a painters’ pencil, a brush, from Latin penicillum, penicillus, a painters’ brush, cf. peniculus, a little tail, diminutive of penis, a tail. The word seems to have been associated more or less with L. penna, a feather, Late Latin A pen: see pen.
  2. from pencil, n.
 

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/ˈpɛnsɪl/
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