expression, godan verb (-u)
wield the writing brush; drive a quill
Literary or formal expression for writing with a brush, often used in contexts of calligraphy or traditional composition.
彼は筆を揮って美しい詩を書いた。
He wielded the brush and wrote a beautiful poem.
筆を執る is a more common and neutral expression for 'take up the brush' or 'write', while 筆を揮う emphasizes the act of wielding the brush with skill or flourish.
A set phrase combining 筆 (brush) and 揮う (to wield, to brandish). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a conventional literary expression.