---
title: quill — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «quill» in the school dictionary: A quill is a pen made from a large bird feather, with the end sharpened and dipped in ink, used for writing long ago. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# quill

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** quill, People, She, porcupine, Hedgehog quills, pupils · **What happens:** be, make, sharpen, dip, use, call · **To what, where:** pen, large bird feather, end, large stiff feather, wing, sharp spines · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«quill» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [quill in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/quill.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A quill is a pen made from a large bird feather, with the end sharpened and dipped in ink, used for writing long ago.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:m1:1
# text = A quill is a pen made from a large bird feather, with the end sharpened and dipped in ink, used for writing long ago.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quill	quill	NOUN	NN	_	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
9	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
10	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	feather	feather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
16	sharpened	sharpen	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	acl	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	dipped	dip	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	conj	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	ink	ink	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
23	for	for	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	_
25	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	26	advmod	_	_
26	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a quill | a pen |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a pen *not said here* |  | a large bird feather | with the end |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from feather=Material |
| 3 | **sharpen** | participle |  | the end *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **dip** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | in ink | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.patient V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient in ink=Attribute |
| 5 | **use** | participle |  | a pen *not said here* |  |  |  | for writing; ago *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A quill is also a large, stiff feather from a bird's wing or tail.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:m2:1
# text = A quill is also a large, stiff feather from a bird's wing or tail.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quill	quill	NOUN	NN	_	9	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	feather	feather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	wing	wing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a quill | a large stiff feather |  | a bird's wing or tail |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sharp spines on a porcupine or hedgehog are also called quills.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:m3:1
# text = The sharp spines on a porcupine or hedgehog are also called quills.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	spines	spine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	porcupine	porcupine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	hedgehog	hedgehog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
10	also	also	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | the sharp spines on a porcupine or hedgehog |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People long ago wrote with a quill and ink.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x1:1
# text = People long ago wrote with a quill and ink.
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
3	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	quill	quill	NOUN	NN	_	4	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	ink	ink	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | People |  |  |  |  | with a quill and ink; ago *property* | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She dipped the quill in the inkpot.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x2:1
# text = She dipped the quill in the inkpot.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dipped	dip	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	quill	quill	NOUN	NN	_	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	inkpot	inkpot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dip** | past | She | the quill |  | the inkpot |  |  | vn funnel-9.3 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent quill=Theme in inkpot=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The quill was made from a goose feather.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x3:1
# text = The quill was made from a goose feather.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quill	quill	NOUN	NN	_	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	goose	goose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	feather	feather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past · passive |  | the quill |  | a goose feather |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: subject=Product from feather=Material |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The porcupine raised its quills to warn the dog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x4:1
# text = The porcupine raised its quills to warn the dog.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	porcupine	porcupine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	raised	raise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	warn	warn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **raise** | past | the porcupine | porcupine's quills |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent quill=Theme |
| 2 | **warn** *speech: warn* | to-infinitive | the porcupine *not said here* |  | the dog |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent dog=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hedgehog quills are stiff and sharp.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x5:1
# text = Hedgehog quills are stiff and sharp.
1	Hedgehog	Hedgehog	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Hedgehog quills |  |  |  |  | stiff *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | Hedgehog quills *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the wizard school story, pupils write with quills.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x6:1
# text = In the wizard school story, pupils write with quills.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	wizard	wizard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	write	write	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present | pupils |  |  | the wizard school story |  | with quills | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in story=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We tried to write our names with a quill in the museum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x7:1
# text = We tried to write our names with a quill in the museum.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	quill	quill	NOUN	NN	_	4	obl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **write** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | our names |  | the museum |  | with a quill | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent name=Theme in museum=Destination |
| 3 | **name** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
‘In the window was an old quill pen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quill:x8:1
# text = ‘In the window was an old quill pen.
1	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	quill	quill	NOUN	NN	_	9	compound	_	_
9	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past |  | a old quill pen |  | the window |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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