pencil sharpener
4
1.0
- noun
- /ˈpɛnsl ˈʃɑːrpənər/
:
sacapuntas
- I used a pencil sharpener to make my pencil pointy before the test.
- an electric pencil sharpener
Like look at these, they are tiny and I'm going to make use of them and their teeny tiny little pencil sharpener and because they're just too cute.
- Like look at these, they are tiny and I'm going to make use of them and their teeny tiny little pencil sharpener and because they're just too cute.
Examples
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Oh, I'm just looking for a pencil sharpener.
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And yes, I have that pencil sharpener, and it is the best thing EVER invented.
Blog text (20) -
I was looking for a pencil sharpener.
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You said something about the pencil sharpener.
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I just bought this pencil sharpener, and I am in love!
Blog text (20) -
Love my quiet pencil sharpener.
Blog text (20) -
And she said that you destroyed her pencil sharpener.
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I teach at an international school in Thailand, and these are the only kind of pencil sharpeners we have.
Blog text (20) -
- Hey Taylor, can I borrow your pencil sharpener?
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I don't see any desks or pencil sharpeners.
Synonyms
10
1.1
A tool that makes a pencil point or knife edge thin and ready to use
How Effective
- Specialized
1
3.9
2
7.6
2
9.8
10
1.1
4
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a device used to make the tip of a pencil sharp' is directly composed from 'pencil' (writing implement) + 'sharpener' (tool that sharpens), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the compound's meaning. This follows a common noun+tool formation found across languages, making the expression fully transparent.
Etymology
The name pencil sharpener comes from what it does: a sharpener shaves the wood and lead of a pencil to 'make the tip sharp'. So it means 'a small tool used to make a pencil's tip sharp'.