Quill vs. Shaft — What's the Difference?

A quill is a writing tool made from a moulted flight feather (preferably a primary wing-feather) of a large bird. Quills were used for writing with ink before the invention of the dip pen, the metal-nibbed pen, the fountain pen, and, eventually, the ballpoint pen.

The long narrow stem or body of a spear or arrow.

The hollow stemlike main shaft of a feather. Also called calamus.

A spear or arrow.

Any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird.

The handle of any of various tools or implements.

A writing pen made from the shaft of a feather.

One of two parallel poles between which an animal is harnessed to a vehicle.

A plectrum for a stringed instrument of the clavichord type.

A long, generally cylindrical bar that rotates and transmits power, as the drive shaft of an engine.

A pipe having a hollow stem.

(Zoology) The main axis of a feather, especially its distal portion.

A toothpick made from the stem of a feather.

The midsection of a long bone; the diaphysis.

One of the sharp hollow spines of a porcupine or hedgehog.

The section of a hair projecting from the surface of the body.

A spindle or bobbin around which yarn is wound in weaving.

The body of the clitoris, extending from the root to the glans.

A hollow shaft that rotates on a solid shaft when gears are engaged.

The body of the penis, extending from the root to the glans.

To wind (thread or yarn) onto a quill.

A column or obelisk.

To make or press small ridges in (fabric).

The principal portion of a column, between the capital and the base.

To practice the art or craft of quilling.

A ray or beam of light.

The lower shaft of a feather, specifically the region lacking barbs.

A bolt of lightning.

A pen made from a feather.

A long, narrow, often vertical passage sunk into the earth, as for mining ore; a tunnel.

(by extension) Any pen.

A vertical passage housing an elevator.

A sharply pointed, barbed, and easily detached needle-like structure that grows on the skin of a porcupine or hedgehog as a defense against predators.

A duct or conduit for the passage of air, as for ventilation or heating.

A thin piece of bark, especially of cinnamon or cinchona, curled up into a tube.

The upright portion of a boot that covers the leg.

The pen of a squid.

A scornful or sarcastic remark; a barb.

(music) The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings of certain instruments.

(Slang) Harsh, unfair treatment. Often used with the

(music) The tube of a musical instrument.

Vulgar Slang A penis.

Something having the form of a quill, such as the fold or plain of a ruff, or (weaving) a spindle, or spool, upon which the thread for the woof is wound in a shuttle.

To equip with a shaft.

To pierce or be pierced with quills.

(Slang) To treat in a harsh, unfair way

(figuratively) To write.

(Slang) To penetrate (someone) sexually.

To form fabric into small, rounded folds.

(obsolete) The entire body of a long weapon, such as an arrow.

To decorate with quillwork.

The long, narrow, central body of a spear, arrow, or javelin.

To subject (a woman who is giving birth) to the practice of quilling (blowing pepper into her nose to induce or hasten labor).

(by extension) Anything cast or thrown as a spear or javelin.

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.

Any long thin object, such as the handle of a tool, one of the poles between which an animal is harnessed to a vehicle, the driveshaft of a motorized vehicle with rear-wheel drive, an axle, etc.

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.

A beam or ray of light.

A spine of the hedgehog or porcupine.

The main axis of a feather.

The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings of certain instruments.

(lacrosse) The long narrow body of a lacrosse stick.

Something having the form of a quill

A vertical or inclined passage sunk into the earth as part of a mine

A roll of dried bark; as, a quill of cinnamon or of cinchona.

A vertical passage housing a lift or elevator; a liftshaft.

To plaint in small cylindrical ridges, called quillings; as, to quill a ruffle.

A ventilation or heating conduit; an air duct.

To wind on a quill, as thread or yarn.

(architecture) Any column or pillar, particularly the body of a column between its capital and pedestal.

Pen made from a bird's feather

The main cylindrical part of the penis.

A stiff hollow protective spine on a porcupine or hedgehog

The chamber of a blast furnace.

Any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird

(weather) A relatively small area of precipitation that an onlook can discern from the dry surrounding area.

The hollow shaft of a feather

To fuck over; to cause harm to, especially through deceit or treachery.

(transitive) To equip with a shaft.

To fuck; to have sexual intercourse with.

The slender, smooth stem of an arrow; hence, an arrow.

The long handle of a spear or similar weapon; hence, the weapon itself; (Fig.) anything regarded as a shaft to be thrown or darted; as, shafts of light.

That which resembles in some degree the stem or handle of an arrow or a spear; a long, slender part, especially when cylindrical.

The handle or helve of certain tools, instruments, etc., as a hammer, a whip, etc.

A humming bird (Thaumastura cora) having two of the tail feathers next to the middle ones very long in the male; - called also cora humming bird.

A rod at the end of a heddle.

A well-like excavation in the earth, perpendicular or nearly so, made for reaching and raising ore, for raising water, etc.

A long passage for the admission or outlet of air; an air shaft.

The chamber of a blast furnace.

A line that forms the length of an arrow pointer

An aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect;

A long rod or pole (especially the handle of an implement or the body of a weapon like a spear or arrow)

A column of light (as from a beacon)

The main (mid) section of a long bone

Obscene terms for penis

A long pointed rod used as a weapon

A vertical passageway through a building (as for an elevator)

(architecture) upright consisting of the vertical part of a column

A vertical passage into a mine

A revolving rod that transmits power or motion

The hollow shaft of a feather

Equip with a shaft

Defeat someone in an expectation through trickery or deceit