I. ˈfe-thər noun
Etymology: Middle English fether, from Old English; akin to Old High German federa wing, Latin petere to go to, seek, Greek petesthai to fly, piptein to fall, pteron wing
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : any of the light horny epidermal outgrowths that form the external covering of the body of birds and that consist of a shaft bearing on each side a series of barbs which bear barbules which in turn bear barbicels commonly ending in hooked hamuli and interlocking with the barbules of an adjacent barb to link the barbs into a continuous vane
b. archaic : plume 2a
c. : the vane of an arrow
2.
a. : plumage
b. : kind , nature
birds of a feather flock together
c. : attire , dress
d. : condition , mood
woke up in fine feather
e. plural : composure
some feather s had been ruffled — D. J. Blum
3. : feathering 2
4. : a projecting strip, rib, fin, or flange
5. : a feathery flaw in the eye or in a precious stone
6. : the act of feathering an oar
• feath·ered -thərd adjective
• feath·er·less adjective
•
- a feather in one's cap
[
feather 1a: A: 1 quill, 2 vane; B: 1 barb, 2 barbule, 3 barbicel with hamulus
]
II. verb
( feath·ered ; feath·er·ing ˈfeth-riŋ, ˈfe-thə-)
Date: 13th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to furnish (as an arrow) with a feather
b. : to cover, clothe, or adorn with or as if with feathers
2.
a. : to turn (an oar blade) almost horizontal when lifting from the water at the end of a stroke to reduce air resistance
b.
(1) : to change the angle of (airplane propeller blades) so that the chords become approximately parallel to the line of flight ; also : to change the angle of airplane propeller blades of (an engine) in such a manner
(2) : to change the angle of (a rotor blade of a rotorcraft) periodically in forward flight
3. : to reduce the edge of to a featheredge
4. : to cut (as air) with or as if with a wing
5. : to join by a tongue and groove
6. : to hit, throw, pass, or shoot softly and usually with precision
feather ed a perfect lob over the net
intransitive verb
1. : to grow or form feathers
2. : to have or take on the appearance of a feather or something feathered
3. : to soak in and spread : blur — used of ink or a printed impression
4. : to feather an oar or an airplane propeller blade
•
- feather one's nest