1
- an instrument for writing or drawing, consisting of a thin stick of graphite or a similar substance enclosed in a long thin piece of wood or fixed in a metal or plastic case铅笔。
1.1
- mass noun graphite or a similar substance used in such a way as a medium for writing or drawing（写字或绘画用的）石墨芯; 类似石墨芯的东西：
the words were scribbled in pencil.
那些话是用石墨芯乱写的。
1.2
- usu. with modifier a cosmetic in a long thin stick, designed to be applied to a particular part of the face（用于脸部的）化妆笔：
an eyebrow pencil.
一支眉笔。
1.3
- something with the shape of a pencil笔状物：
a pencil of light
光束
as modifier a pencil torch.笔状电筒。
1.4
- Physics & Geometry a set of light rays, lines, etc. converging to or diverging narrowly from a single point【物理, 几何】光线束, 光线锥; 线束, 面束, 圆束。
(pencilled, pencilling; <美> penciled, penciling) with obj.
- write, draw, or colour (something) with a pencil用铅笔写（或画、涂色）：
a previous owner has pencilled their name inside the cover
以前的一个主人用铅笔在封面内写下了他们的姓名
as adj. penciled a pencilled note.一张用铅笔写的条子。
派生词
penciller
noun词源
Middle English (denoting a fine paintbrush)： from Old French pincel, from a diminutive of Latin peniculus 'brush', diminutive of penis 'tail'. The verb was originally （early 16th cent.） in the sense 'paint with a fine brush'.
短语动词
pencil something in
1
- fill in an area or shape with pencil strokes用铅笔填入; 用铅笔画出轮廓：
a lot of the outlines had been pencilled in.
很多轮廓已经用铅笔画出来了。
2
- arrange, forecast, or note down something provisionally or tentatively（暂时或姑且）安排, 预测; 记下：
May 15 was pencilled in as the date for the meeting.
暂定5月15日作开会的日期。
2.1
-
pencil someone in
make a provisional or tentative arrangement with or for someone（暂时或姑且）与…安排; 为…安排： he was pencilled in for surgery at the end of the month.
他被暂时安排在月底动手术。