A quill from a crow’s wing, used as a pen for fine writing. Also a name for a small fine steel pen used in map-drawing, etc.
1740. Gray, Lett., Poems (1775), 86. You should take a handsome crow-quill when you write to me, and not leave room for a pin’s point in four sides of a sheet royal.
1845. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 352. Written on glazed paper, with a crow-quill.
fig. 1795. Burke, Regic. Peace, iv. Wks. IX. 17. Such a poor crow-quill as mine.
attrib. 1878. Browning, Poets Croisic, 37. Over the neat crowquill calligraph His pen goes blotting.
