pencil
pencil Lexical Profile
pencil Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An instrument for writing or drawing, typically consisting of a thin cylindrical casing of wood enclosing a core of graphite or colored pigment.
"She used a sharp pencil to fill out the answers on her standardized test."
A cosmetic product shaped like a thin stick, used for applying makeup to the eyebrows, eyes, or lips.
"She carefully applied an eyeliner pencil before heading out for the evening."
A narrow set of converging, diverging, or parallel light rays.
"The physicist aligned the lenses to focus a narrow pencil of light onto the optical sensor."
• verb
To tentatively schedule an appointment or event (typically followed by 'in').
"Let's pencil in a strategy meeting for next Tuesday, pending final confirmation from the director."
To write, draw, or mark something with a pencil.
"He quickly penciled his phone number on a napkin and handed it to her."
Word Nuance & Usage
The verb form is frequently used in the phrasal combination 'pencil in' to indicate that a scheduled event or appointment is tentative and subject to change.
• Rhymes for pencil
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'pincel' (small paintbrush), from Latin 'penicillus' (paintbrush, little tail), which is a diminutive of 'peniculus' (brush).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.