Ben Jonson: Staple of News

2. 'Feather'd soon and fledg'd, They summ'd their pens, and soaring th' air sublime, despis'd the ground." Milton: P. L., 420. (3) An instrument for writing by means of a fluid ink. Pens originally were made of the quills of large birds, but now quill-pens are comparatively little used, being superseded to a great extent by metal pens. The latter were first regularly introduced for sale in 1803; they are made principally of steel, but other metals, as gold, silver, platinum, aluminium, ., are also used. "Beneath the rule of men entirely great The pen is mightier than the sword." (4) An ink-leg of a compa . 2. Figuratively: Lytton: Richelieu , ii. 2. (1) One who used a pen; a penman, a writer. *(2) Style or quality of writing. II. Comp . Anat .: [CUTTLE-BONE, GLADIUS.] For the various kinds of pens, as Bow-per, Drawing-pen, ., see under the compounds. pen-and-ink, a. 1. Executed with pen and ink. "It is a pen - and - ink drawing."-Southey: Letters, iv. 81. 2. Literary; in writing.