Obs. rare. Also 6 quille. [? a. OF. *quille = F. cueille gathering, harvest, sb. f. cueillir (OF. quillir, etc.) to gather, CULL v.1]

1

  1.  = COIL sb.3

2

1588.  Book of Charges, July (Dom. St. Papers, P. R. O. CCXV. 88). A Quille of ropes wayeing xxvli.

3

  2.  In the (or a) quill: In a body; in combination or concert. To jump in quill, to act simultaneously or in harmony.

4

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. iii. 4. Let’s stand close … and then wee may deliuer our Supplications in the Quill.

5

1687.  Hist. Sir J. Hawkwood, x. 18. Nor … did they less jump in quill; for just as he was debating this matter with himself, they came down to him, and besought him that he would dismiss them.

6

c. 1690.  Roxb. Ball., II. 136. Thus those Females were all in a Quill, and following on their Pastime still.

7