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quill

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:40 pm
by sardith
Has anyone ever heard of the word, 'quill', being defined as: the best, most proficient and talented, like 'top notch'?

Harold Gould uses the word, 'quill', in the movie, 'The Sting', when he is at the bar where he picks out the best men to work the con.

Kid Twist (Harold Gould): "Gondorff is setting up a wire store on the north side. I'm gonna need a twenty man boost right away."
Dukey: "I've got plenty of talent out there tonight. You can take your pick."
Kid Twist: "This is a tough one, Dukey. These guys have gotta be the 'quill'."
Dukey: (directs comment to Lace)"Get me the sheet."
(to Kid Twist) "We'll see who's in town."


Thanks everyone,
Sardith :mrgreen:

Re: quill

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:08 pm
by Slava
It took a few tries, but I did manage to find a site that has a definition: The genuine article.

It doesn't give any sources, though, so I'm not so sure how far to take it for sooth.

Re: quill

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:12 pm
by Perry Lassiter
I found this in the urban dictionary:

New word for cool, fly, awesome, etc.
You wish you could be as quill as me.

Re: quill

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:27 pm
by Slava
I found this in the urban dictionary:

New word for cool, fly, awesome, etc.
You wish you could be as quill as me.
I saw this one but decided not to use it as they say it's new. Since the use here is from The Sting, it should be criminal slang from the 30s. Even the movie itself is 40 years old, so I wouldn't call it new.

Re: quill

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 12:39 am
by sardith
Thanks, guys!

Slava, that 'Scoundrel's Slang' is pretty interesting. . .

Have a nice weekend,
Sardith
:mrgreen:

Re: quill

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:22 am
by eberntson
I would suppose that since a quill is an old form of writing tool, it would imply that a person describe this way would be "sharp". I've used a quill to do some calligraphy and you have to constantly sharpen it . Also porcupines have sharp quills. Just a thought.
In contrast, someone that is not quill (sharp), can be referred to as "not the sharpest tool in the toolbox. "

Happy Halloween (GO Red Sox!)

E

Re: quill

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:08 am
by sardith
Good points, eberntson. . .no pun intended. :wink:

Re: quill

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 4:55 pm
by Perry Lassiter
The porcupine reference may be onto something as far as quill meaning someone who is sharp. I like it!