feather

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.

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.

Idioms:

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.

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.

v.i.

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

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	feather - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds plumage, plume bird - 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 quill, calamus, shaft - the hollow spine of a feather flight feather, quill feather, pinion, quill - any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird 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 feathering rotary motion, rotation - the act of rotating as if on an axis; "the rotation of the dancer kept time with the music" rowing, row - the act of rowing as a sport
Verb	1.	feather - join tongue and groove, in carpentry conjoin, join - make contact or come together; "The two roads join here"
	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 square paddle - propel with a paddle; "paddle your own canoe"
	4.	feather - turn the oar, while rowing square row - propel with oars; "row the boat across the lake"
	5.	feather - grow feathers; "The young sparrows are fledging already" fledge acquire, develop, produce, grow, get - come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes); "He grew a beard"; "The patient developed abdominal pains"; "I got funny spots all over my body"; "Well-developed breasts"

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

plural noun

1. plumage, plumes, down black ostrich feathers

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

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

feather

noun

A class that is defined by the common attribute or attributes possessed by all its members:

breed, cast, description, ilk, kind, lot, manner, mold, nature, order, sort, species, stamp, stripe, type, variety.

Informal: persuasion.

The 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

Feder

πούπουλο

plumaemplumar

höyhensulka

plumeemplumer

pero

tolltollal bélel

búa fjöîrumfjöðurfjöîur

piumaspalarearricchirsileggero come una piumapenna

羽

깃털

pluma

kieno nors pasididžiavimaskloti plunksnomiskrautis turtuslengvas kaip plunksnelėpapuoštas plunksnomis

spalvaizrotāt/izklāt ar spalvām

veerpluimveder

fjærfjørpynte med fjærsette fjær i

pióro

penapluma

fulgpană

пероковылистыйковыльё

vystlať perím

peroperje

fjäder

ขนนก

tüytüy kaplamak

lông vũ

羽毛用羽毛装饰

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

B. VT

1. → emplumar
to feather one's nest → hacer su agosto

2. (Rowing) [+ oar] → volver horizontal

C. CPD [mattress, pillow] → de plumas
feather bed N → colchón m de pluma(s)
feather duster N → plumero m

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

[ˈfɛðə^r]

n → plume f
ostrich feather → plume f d'autruche
tail feather → plume f rectrice
as light as a feather → léger comme une plume
a feather in sb's cap (= something to be proud of) → un bon point pour qn
see also bird, ruffle

vt
to feather one's nest (fig) → faire sa pelote

modif [bed, pillow] → de plumesfeather boa n
see boafeather duster n → plumeau m

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

arrow etc → mit Federn versehen; to feather one’s nest (fig) → sein Schäfchen ins Trockene bringen

(Aviat) propeller → auf Segelstellung bringen

(Rowing) oar → flach drehen

vi (Rowing) → das Ruderblatt flach drehen

---

feather

:

feather bed

n → mit Federn gefüllte Matratze

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

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. veer ريشَه перо pena pero die Feder fjer φτερό, πούπουλοpluma sulg پر höyhen plumeנוצה पंख, पर pero, perje toll(azat) bulu fjöður piuma 羽毛 새의 깃털 plunksna spalva bulu veerfjærpióro پر pena pană перо pero pero perje fjäder ขนนก tüy 羽毛 перо پرندے کا پر lông vũ; lông (chim) 羽毛

verb

to line, cover or decorate with feathers. The eagle feathers its nest with down from its own breast. veer, beveer يُزَيِّن بِالرّيش، يَكْسو بِالرّيش покривам с пера acolchoar/forrar vystlat/ozdobit peřím mit Federn versehen fjerbeklæde σκεπάζω, ντύνω με φτερά emplumar sulgedega vooderdama پر زدن به چیزی vuorata höyhenillä emplumer לְרַפֶּד בְּנוֹצוֹת सजाना, संवारना nakititi (napuniti) perjem tollal bélel (fészket) melapisi búa fjöðrum guarnire di piume 羽毛でおおう 깃털을 장식하다 kloti/puošti plunksnomis izrotāt/izklāt ar spalvām melapisi met veren bedekken pynte med fjær, sette fjær i mościć بڼكى تړل (لكه په نمسى پورې)، په بڼو سينګارول، په بڼو پوښل acolchoar/forrar a acoperi cu pene выстилать перьями vystlať perím operiti prekriti perjem befjädra, klä (pryda) med fjädrar ประดับด้วยขนนก tüy kaplamak 用羽毛裝飾 оперяти, прикрашати пір'ям پروں سے ڈھانپنا trang hoàng bằng lông 用羽毛装饰

ˈfeathered adjective

geveerd, gepluim مَكْسو بِالرّيش، مُزَيَّن بالرّيش пернат emplumado opeřený gefiedert fjerbeklædt φτερωτόςemplumado sulgedega ehitud پر دار höyheninen emplumé מְנוּצֶה परदार pernat tollas membului fjaðraður, fiðraður pennuto, piumato 羽毛をつけた 깃털이 난, 깃을 단 plunksnotas spalvains berbulu gevederd fjærkledd/-pyntet upierzony بنکی adornado/enfeitado com penas? împănat украшенный перьями operený operjen pernat befjädrad ที่มีขนนกปกคลุม tüylü 有羽毛的 прикрашений пір'ям پردار có lông; có trang trí lông; 有羽毛的

ˈfeathery adjective

1. of, like, or covered in, a feather or feathers. a feathery hat. geveerd, veeragtig ريشي، مَكْسو بالرّيش перушинест de penas/emplumado jako pírko; opeřený; péřový federartig fjeragtig φτερωτός, πουπουλένιος de plumas sulgjas, sulg- پری؛ پوشیده از پر höyheninen doux comme la plume; en plumes מְנוּצֶה पंखवत pernat, perjast tollas berhias bulu fiðraður piumato 羽毛をつけた 깃으로 뒤덮인 papuoštas plunksnomis, plunksnotas, plunksnų spalvains; spalvai līdzīgs berhias bulu vederachtig, gevederd fjærkledd pierzasty, z piórami په بڼكوپټ، بڼكيز de penas/emplumado cu pene; ca pana покрытый перьями ako pierko; operený pernat pernat fjäderbeklädd, fjäderlik ที่ปกคด้วยขนนก tüylü 插有羽毛的 прикрашений пір'ям پروں کا ، پروں کی طرح được che phủ hoặc được trang trí bằng lông chim 插有羽毛的

2. soft and light. a feathery touch. veeragtig, sag ناعِم وَخَفيف мек macio lehoučký federgleich fjerlet; blød; fin ελαφρόςligero sulgkerge نرم و لطیف höyhenenkevyt plumeux קָל וְרַך כְּנוֹצָה स्वच्छ एवं हल्का lak poput pera könnyű ringan, lembut fisléttur (leggero e soffice) 羽毛のように軽い 가벼운 lengvas kaip plunksnelė viegls; gaisīgs ringan vederlicht fjærlett, fin, myk lekki jak piórko, miękki jak puch نرم او نازک macio uşor лёгкий ľahučký peresen mek fjäderlätt ซึ่งอ่อนนุ่มและเบาเหมือนขนนก tüy gibi 輕軟的 такий, що має вигляд пір'їни نرم اور ہلکا nhẹ tựa lông chim 轻软的

a feather in one's cap

something one can be proud of. Winning the race was quite a feather in his cap. iets is ʼn pluimpie vir iemand شَيءٌ يُفْتَخَر به، علامَة إمتياز повод за гордост motivo de orgulho veliké vyznamenání etwas, worauf man stolz sein kann en fjer i hatten τίτλος τιμής, κτ. για το οποίο κπ. είνα�� περήφανος un motivo de orgullo tõeline saavutus مایه افتخار sulka hatussa un fleuron à sa couronne דַבָר לְהִתגָאוֹת בּוֹ उपलब्धि nešto čime se netko može podičiti, što mu služi na čast becsületére válik kebanggaan afrek, rós í hnappagatið segno d'onore 自慢の種 눈부신 업적 kieno nors pasididžiavimas kaut kas, ar ko lepoties membanggakan iets om trots op te zijn en fjær i hatten przedmiot dumy ویار motivo de orgulho/triunfo mândrie предмет гордости veľké vyznamenanie trofeja dika en fjäder i hatten ความภาคภูมิใจ gurur duyulacak şey 可以誇耀的事物 досягнення کارنامہ جو کسی کے نامئہ اعمال میں لکھا گیا ہو niềm tự hào 可以夸耀的事物

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. jou eie sakke vul, jou verryk يَكْسَبُ المال لِنَفْسِه забогатявам fazer o pé de meia namastit si kapsu das Vertrauen andere Mißbrauchen, um Reichtum anzuhäufen mele sin egen kage βγάζω χρήματα εκμεταλλευόμενος την εμπιστοσύνη κπ. barrer para casa, hacer su agosto vahelt tegema, oma taskusse ajama با سواستفاده از جایگاه به پول و پله رسیدن tehdä rahaa faire sa pelote לִדאוֹג הֵיטֵב לְעַצמוֹ धन अर्जित करना nedopušteno se obogatiti (na dužnosti), “potkožiti se” megszedi magát memperkaya diri arricchirsi 사복(私腹)을 채우다 krautis turtus, prisikimšti kišenes piebāzt savu kabatu memperkayakan diri sendiri zijn schaapjes scheren, zich ten koste van anderen verrijken nabijać kabzę په چال او فريب يو ځاي ته رسيدل набивать карман vystlať si hniezdočko, nahrabať si (majetok) dobro si postlati nafatirati se novcem sko sig หาเงินเข้ากระเป๋าตนเอง küpünü doldurmak 營私 нагріти руки; поживитися اپنا گھر بھرنا، دولت پٹورنا thu vén cho bản thân 营私

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