feather

[ feth -er ]

/ ˈfɛð ər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR feather ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

one of the horny structures forming the principal covering of birds, consisting typically of a hard, tubular portion attached to the body and tapering into a thinner, stemlike portion bearing a series of slender, barbed processes that interlock to form a flat structure on each side.

kind; character; nature: two boys of the same feather.

something like a feather, as a tuft or fringe of hair.

something very light, small, or trivial: Your worry is a mere feather.

Archery. one of the vanes at the tail of an arrow or dart.

Carpentry. a spline for joining the grooved edges of two boards.

Masonry. See under plug and feathers.

a featherlike flaw, especially in a precious stone.

Machinery. feather key.

Archaic. attire.

Obsolete. plumage.

verb (used with object)

to provide with feathers, as an arrow.

to clothe or cover with or as with feathers.

Rowing. to turn (an oar) after a stroke so that the blade becomes nearly horizontal, and hold it thus as it is moved back into position for the next stroke.

Aeronautics.

to change the blade angle of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are approximately parallel to the line of flight.
to turn off (an engine) while in flight.

verb (used without object)

to grow feathers.

to be or become feathery in appearance.

to move like feathers.

Rowing. to feather an oar.

Verb Phrases

feather into, South Midland U.S. to attack (a person, task, or problem) vigorously.

Idioms for feather

a feather in one's cap, a praiseworthy accomplishment; distinction; honor: Being chosen class president is a feather in her cap.

birds of a feather. bird(def 15).

feather one's nest, to take advantage of the opportunities to enrich oneself: The mayor had used his term of office to feather his nest.

in fine/high feather, in good form, humor, or health: feeling in fine feather.

ruffle someone's feathers, to anger, upset, or annoy (another person).

smooth one's ruffled/rumpled feathers, to regain one's composure; become calm: After the argument, we each retired to our own rooms to smooth our ruffled feathers.

Origin of feather

before 900; Middle English, Old English fether; cognate with Dutch veder, German Feder, Old Norse fjǫthr; akin to Greek pterón, Sanskrit pátram wing, feather

OTHER WORDS FROM feather

feath·er·less, adjective feath·er·less·ness, noun feath·er·like, adjective

Words nearby feather

feast of tabernacles, feast one's eyes on, feast or famine, feast-or-famine, feat, feather, feather banding, feather bed, feather duster, feather geranium, feather grass

Definition for feathers (2 of 2)

plug and feathers

noun

an apparatus for splitting stone, consisting of two tapered bars (feathers), inserted into a hole drilled into the stone, between which a narrow wedge (plug) is hammered to spread them.

Origin of plug and feathers

First recorded in 1835–45

Example sentences from the Web for feathers

Burlesque artists are often in it for the costumes, spending what they earn on fabric, feathers, and crystals.

Best Career Arc Ever: From Burlesque To Bartending |Anne Berry |September 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Spilling from the old vehicle were hippies of all eras decked out in tie-dye and top hats bejeweled with feathers and beads.

On the Road With Kesey's (Drug-Free) Acid Test |Nina Strochlic |August 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The 18-year-old strutted down the runway Monday in an edgy, off-the-shoulder, red-and-black tweed ensemble accented with feathers.

Kendall Jenner Walks in Chanel Couture; Taylor Swift Pens Op-Ed for ‘The Wall Street Journal’ |The Fashion Beast Team |July 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He plucked them and flushed the feathers carefully, so as not to block up the toilets and draw attention.

Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison |Daniel Genis |June 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

This is misleading for everyone, and particularly offensive to those who have earned the honor of wearing their feathers.

Pharrell, Harry Styles, and Native American Appropriation |Amy Zimmerman |June 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The color of the feathers does not seem to affect the quality of the flesh or their character for laying.

Domestic Animals |Richard L. Allen
The feathers on their thighs are round like shells at the end, and being there very thick, have an agreeable effect.

Extinct Birds |Walter Rothschild
The dress of both sexes consists of a mantle like the Chilian pancho, and they wear hats made of reeds adorned with feathers.

A New Voyage Round the World in the Years 1823, 24, 25, and 26. Vol. 1 |Otto von Kotzebue
Tail four inches from the base, slightly divaricated, and of twelve feathers.

Zoological Illustrations, Volume I |William Swainson
The feathers, glued upon a cotton web, were made into dresses for the wealthy to wear on festal occasions.

Aztec Land |Maturin M. Ballou

British Dictionary definitions for feathers (1 of 2)

feathers

/ (ˈfɛðəz) /

pl n

the plumage of a bird

Also called: feathering the long hair on the legs or tail of certain breeds of horses and dogs

informal dress; attire her best feathers

ruffle feathers to cause upset or offence

British Dictionary definitions for feathers (2 of 2)

feather

/ (ˈfɛðə) /

noun

any of the flat light waterproof epidermal structures forming the plumage of birds, each consisting of a hollow shaft having a vane of barbs on either side. They are essential for flight and help maintain body temperature

something resembling a feather, such as a tuft of hair or grass

archery

a bird's feather or artificial substitute fitted to an arrow to direct its flight
the feathered end of an arrow, opposite the head

a strip, spline, or tongue of wood fitted into a groove

the wake created on the surface of the water by the raised periscope of a submarine

rowing the position of an oar turned parallel to the water between strokes Compare square (def. 8)

a step in ballroom dancing in which a couple maintain the conventional hold but dance side by side

condition of spirits; fettle in fine feather

something of negligible value; jot I don't care a feather

birds of a feather people of the same type, character, or interests

feather in one's cap a cause for pleasure at one's achievements your promotion is a feather in your cap

not take a feather out of someone or not knock a feather out of someone Irish to fail to upset or injure someone it didn't take a feather out of him

verb

(tr) to fit, cover, or supply with feathers

rowing to turn (an oar) parallel to the water during recovery between strokes, principally in order to lessen wind resistance Compare square (def. 41)

(in canoeing) to turn (a paddle) parallel to the direction of the canoe between strokes, while keeping it in the water, principally in order to move silently

to change the pitch of (an aircraft propeller) so that the chord lines of the blades are in line with the airflow

(tr) to join (two boards) by means of a tongue-and-groove joint

(intr) (of a bird) to grow feathers

(intr) to move or grow like feathers

feather one's nest to provide oneself with comforts, esp financial

Derived forms of feather

featherless, adjective feather-like, adjective feathery, adjective

Word Origin for feather

Old English fether; related to Old Frisian fethere, Old Norse fjöthr feather, Old High German fedara wing, Greek petesthai to fly, Sanskrit patati he flies

Scientific definitions for feathers

feather

[ fĕð′ər ]

One of the light, flat structures that cover the skin of birds. A feather is made of a horny substance and has a narrow, hollow shaft bearing flat vanes formed of many parallel barbs. The barbs of outer feathers are formed of even smaller structures (called barbules) that interlock. The barbs of down feathers do not interlock. Evolutionarily, feathers are modified scales, first seen in certain dinosaurs.

Idioms and Phrases with feathers

feather

In addition to the idioms beginning with feather

feather in one's cap, a
feather one's nest

also see:

birds of a feather
fuss and feathers
in fine feather
knock down with a feather
light as a feather
make the dust (feathers) fly
ruffle someone's feathers
show the white feather
tar and feather

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

feather