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pencil

pencilnoun

American /ˈpɛn.səl/ British /ˈpen.səl/

plural pencils

a thin stick of wood with a dark center, used for writing or drawing
Uncountable in in pencil, which describes how something is written or drawn.
countable or uncountable [C/U]
- Use a pencil so that you can erase your mistakes.
- She drew the plan of the house in pencil.
- My pencil needs sharpening.
- He always keeps a pencil behind his ear.
Collocations
verb + noun sharpen a pencil
adjective + noun a sharp pencil, colored pencils
noun + noun pencil sharpener, pencil case, pencil drawing
phrase in pencil
Compare pen

Common mistakes

I wrote it with pencil. I wrote it in pencil.
Say in pencil or with a pencil; with pencil without a is not correct.

See also pen