Pencil Definition
pĕnsəl
penciled, penciling, pencilled, pencilling, pencils
noun
A slender, rod-shaped instrument of wood, metal, etc. with a center stick of graphite, crayon, etc. that is sharpened to a point for marking, writing, and drawing.
Webster's New World
The individual style or ability of an artist.
Webster's New World
An artist's small, fine brush.
Webster's New World
Something shaped or used like a pencil.
Webster's New World
Descriptive skill.
American Heritage
verb
To mark, write, or draw with or as with a pencil.
Webster's New World
To use a pencil on.
Webster's New World
To schedule or assign provisionally.
She penciled him in for dinner next week.
Webster's New World
To write something using a pencil.
I penciled (BrEn: pencilled) it in my notebook.
Wiktionary
To tentatively make a booking or appointment.
I am very busy today but I can pencil you in at 3 p.m.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of Pencil
Noun
Singular:
pencil
Plural:
pencilsOrigin of Pencil
-
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 pes- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From Anglo-Norman and Old French pincil (modern pinceau (“paintbrush")), from Latin diminutive peniculus (“brush"), from noun penis (“tail") + diminutive suffix -culus.
From Wiktionary
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