feather
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
feath·er
(fĕth′ər)n.
1. One of the light, flat structures growing from the skin of birds, consisting of numerous slender, closely arranged parallel barbs forming a vane on either side of a horny, tapering, partly hollow shaft.
2. A feathery tuft or fringe of hair, as on the legs or tail of some dogs.
3. Character, kind, or nature: Birds of a feather flock together.
4.
a. A strip, wedge, or flange used as a strengthening part.
b. A wedge or key that fits into a groove to make a joint.
5. The vane of an arrow.
6. A feather-shaped flaw, as in a precious stone.
7. The wake made by a submarine's periscope.
8. The act of feathering the blade of an oar in rowing.
v. feath·ered, feath·er·ing, feath·ers
v. tr.
1. To cover, dress, or decorate with feathers or featherlike projections.
2. To fit (an arrow) with a feather.
3.
a. To thin, reduce, or fringe the edge of (wood, for example) by cutting, shaving, or making thinner.
b. To spread (paint, for example) thinly at the edges so as to blend with the surrounding area.
c. To shorten and taper (hair) by cutting and thinning.
d. To blur or soften the edge of (an image).
4. To apply (a brake, throttle, or other control) gently or slightly and steadily.
5. To turn (an oar blade) almost horizontal as it is carried back after each stroke.
6.
a. To alter the pitch of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are parallel with the line of flight.
b. To alter the pitch of (the rotor of a helicopter) while in forward flight.
7. To turn off (an aircraft engine) while in flight.
v. intr.
Idioms: 1. To grow feathers or become feathered.
2. To move, spread, or grow in a manner suggestive of feathers: "Steam feathered out from under the bathroom door" (Melinda Hayes).
3. To become thin or less dense at the edges: "That lipstick had feathered out in the corners of her mouth" (Erin McCarthy).
4. To feather an oar.
5. To feather a propeller.
feather in (one's) cap
An act or deed to one's credit; a distinctive achievement.
feather (one's) nest
To grow wealthy by taking advantage of one's position or by making use of property or funds left in one's trust.
in fine (or good or high) feather
In excellent form, health, or humor.
[Middle English fether, from Old English; see pet- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
feather
(ˈfɛðə)n
1. (Zoology) 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
2. something resembling a feather, such as a tuft of hair or grass
3. (Archery) archery
a. a bird's feather or artificial substitute fitted to an arrow to direct its flight
b. the feathered end of an arrow, opposite the head
4. (Building) a strip, spline, or tongue of wood fitted into a groove
5. (Nautical Terms) the wake created on the surface of the water by the raised periscope of a submarine
6. (Rowing) rowing the position of an oar turned parallel to the water between strokes. Compare square8
7. (Dancing) a step in ballroom dancing in which a couple maintain the conventional hold but dance side by side
8. condition of spirits; fettle: in fine feather.
9. something of negligible value; jot: I don't care a feather.
10. birds of a feather people of the same type, character, or interests
11. feather in one's cap a cause for pleasure at one's achievements: your promotion is a feather in your cap.
12. not take a feather out of someone not knock a feather out of someone Irish to fail to upset or injure someone: it didn't take a feather out of him.
vb
13. (tr) to fit, cover, or supply with feathers
14. (tr) to touch lightly
15. (Rowing) rowing to turn (an oar) parallel to the water during recovery between strokes, principally in order to lessen wind resistance. Compare square41
16. (Rowing) (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
17. (Aeronautics) to change the pitch of (an aircraft propeller) so that the chord lines of the blades are in line with the airflow
18. (Building) (tr) to join (two boards) by means of a tongue-and-groove joint
19. (Zoology) (intr) (of a bird) to grow feathers
20. (intr) to move or grow like feathers
21. feather one's nest to provide oneself with comforts, esp financial
[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]
ˈfeatherless adj
ˈfeather-ˌlike adj
ˈfeathery adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
feath•er
(ˈfɛð ər)n.
1. one of the horny epidermal structures that form the principal covering of birds, consisting of a hollow shaft bearing a series of slender barbs that interlock to form a flat surface on each side.
2. kind; character; nature: two boys of the same feather.
3. condition, as of health, spirits, etc.
4. something like a feather, as a tuft or fringe of hair.
5. something very light, small, or trivial.
6. one of the vanes at the tail of an arrow or dart, for stabilization in flight.
7. a spline for joining the grooved edges of two boards.
8. a featherlike flaw, esp. in a precious stone.
9. Archaic. attire (def. 2).
10. Obs. plumage.
v.t. 11. to provide with feathers, as an arrow.
12. to clothe or cover with or as if with feathers.
13. 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.
14.
v.i. a. to change the blade angle of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are approximately parallel to the line of flight.
b. to turn off (an aircraft engine) while in flight.
15. to grow feathers.
16. to be or become feathery in appearance.
17. to feather an oar.
Idioms: 1. a feather in one's cap, a praiseworthy achievement; honor.
2. feather one's nest, to enrich oneself by exploiting one's favorable or privileged position.
[before 900; Middle English, Old English fether]
feath′er•less, adj.
feath′er•like`, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
feath·er
(fĕth′ər) One of the light, flat structures that cover the skin of birds. A feather 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.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
feather
Past participle: feathered
Gerund: feathering
| Imperative |
|---|
| feather |
| feather |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  feather - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birdsbird - warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings down, down feather - soft fine feathers aftershaft - a supplementary feather (usually small) on the underside of the base of the shaft of some feathers in some birds contour feather - feathers covering the body of an adult bird and determining its shape spurious wing, alula - tuft of small stiff feathers on the first digit of a bird's wing marabou - the downy feathers of marabou storks are used for trimming garments web, vane - the flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft hackle - long slender feather on the necks of e.g. turkeys and pheasants scapular - a feather covering the shoulder of a bird body covering - any covering for the body or a body part ceratin, keratin - a fibrous scleroprotein that occurs in the outer layer of the skin and in horny tissues such as hair, feathers, nails, and hooves animal material - material derived from animals melanin - insoluble pigments that account for the color of e.g. skin and scales and feathers |
| 2. | feather - turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls rotary motion, rotation - the act of rotating as if on an axis; "the rotation of the dancer kept time with the music" | |
| Verb | 1. | feather - join tongue and groove, in carpentry |
| 2. | feather - cover or fit with feathers cover - provide with a covering or cause to be covered; "cover her face with a handkerchief"; "cover the child with a blanket"; "cover the grave with flowers" | |
| 3. | feather - turn the paddle; in canoeing paddle - propel with a paddle; "paddle your own canoe" | |
| 4. | feather - turn the oar, while rowing row - propel with oars; "row the boat across the lake" | |
| 5. | feather - grow feathers; "The young sparrows are fledging already" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
feather
noun
1. plume a purple hat with a green feather
a feather in your cap achievement, success, accomplishment It was a feather in his cap to be at a good college.
Related words
fear pteronophobia
fear pteronophobia
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
feather
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
رِيشَةريشَهيُزَيِّن بِالرّيش، يَكْسو بِالرّيش
peropérovystlat/ozdobit peřím
fjerfjerbeklæde
höyhensulka
pero
tolltollal bélel
búa fjöîrumfjöðurfjöîur
羽
깃털
pluma
kieno nors pasididžiavimaskloti plunksnomiskrautis turtuslengvas kaip plunksnelėpapuoštas plunksnomis
spalvaizrotāt/izklāt ar spalvām
fulgpană
vystlať perím
peroperje
fjäder
ขนนก
tüytüy kaplamak
lông vũ
feather
[ˈfeðəʳ]A. N → pluma f
in fine feather (o.f.) → de excelente humor
that is a feather in his cap → es un tanto que se apunta
you could have knocked me down with a feather → me quedé de piedra
as light as a feather → (tan) ligero como una pluma
see also white C
in fine feather (o.f.) → de excelente humor
that is a feather in his cap → es un tanto que se apunta
you could have knocked me down with a feather → me quedé de piedra
as light as a feather → (tan) ligero como una pluma
see also white C
B. VT
2. (Rowing) [+ oar] → volver horizontal
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
feather
[ˈfɛðər]Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
feather
n → Feder f; feathers (= plumage) → Gefieder nt; feather headdress → Kopfschmuck m → aus Federn; as light as a feather → federleicht; that’s a feather in his cap → das ist ein Ruhmesblatt nt → für ihn; you could have knocked me down with a feather (inf) → ich war wie vom Donner gerührt; that’ll make the feathers fly → das wird die Gemüter bewegen; they are birds of a feather → sie sind vom gleichen Schlag; birds of a feather stick or flock together (Prov) → Gleich und Gleich gesellt sich gern (Prov) ? white feather
vt
(Aviat) propeller → auf Segelstellung bringen
feather
:featherbed
vt (fig) person → verhätscheln; (Ind, with grants) → verhätscheln; (by overmanning) → unnötige Arbeitskräfte zugestehen (+dat)
featherbedding
n (fig) → Hätscheln nt; (with subsidies) → unnötige Subventionierung
featherbrain
n → Spatzenhirn nt
featherbrained
adj → dümmlich
feather cut
n (= hairstyle) → Stufenschnitt m
feather duster
n → Staubwedel m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
feather
[ˈfɛðəʳ]1. n → penna, piuma
as light as a feather → leggero/a come una piuma
that is a feather in his cap → è un fiore all'occhiello per lui
you could have knocked me down with a feather (fam) → avresti potuto farmi cadere con un soffio
as light as a feather → leggero/a come una piuma
that is a feather in his cap → è un fiore all'occhiello per lui
you could have knocked me down with a feather (fam) → avresti potuto farmi cadere con un soffio
2. vt to feather one's nest (fig) → arricchirsi
3. adj (mattress, bed, pillow) → di piuma
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
feather
(ˈfeðə) noun one of the things that grow from a bird's skin that form the covering of its body. They cleaned the oil off the seagull's feathers.
verb to line, cover or decorate with feathers. The eagle feathers its nest with down from its own breast.
ˈfeathered adjectiveˈfeathery adjective
1. of, like, or covered in, a feather or feathers. a feathery hat.
2. soft and light. a feathery touch.
a feather in one's cap something one can be proud of. Winning the race was quite a feather in his cap.
feather one's (own) nest to gain money for oneself or to make oneself rich while serving others in a position of trust. All the time he has been a member of that committee he has been feathering his own nest.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
feather
→ رِيشَة pero fjer Feder πούπουλο pluma höyhen plume pero piuma 羽 깃털 veer fjær pióro pena перо fjäder ขนนก tüy lông vũ 羽毛Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
feather
n. pluma.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012