Feather
['feðə] or ['fɛðɚ]
Definition
(noun.) turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls.
(noun.) the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds.
(verb.) turn the oar, while rowing.
(verb.) turn the paddle; in canoeing.
(verb.) cover or fit with feathers.
(verb.) join tongue and groove, in carpentry.
Inputed by Billy--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) One of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds, belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down.
(n.) Kind; nature; species; -- from the proverbial phrase, "Birds of a feather," that is, of the same species.
(n.) The fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs.
(n.) A tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse.
(n.) One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.
(n.) A longitudinal strip projecting as a fin from an object, to strengthen it, or to enter a channel in another object and thereby prevent displacement sidwise but permit motion lengthwise; a spline.
(n.) A thin wedge driven between the two semicylindrical parts of a divided plug in a hole bored in a stone, to rend the stone.
(n.) The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.
(v. t.) To furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a cap.
(v. t.) To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.
(v. t.) To render light as a feather; to give wings to.
(v. t.) To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.
(v. t.) To tread, as a cock.
(v. i.) To grow or form feathers; to become feathered; -- often with out; as, the birds are feathering out.
(v. i.) To curdle when poured into another liquid, and float about in little flakes or "feathers;" as, the cream feathers
(v. i.) To turn to a horizontal plane; -- said of oars.
(v. i.) To have the appearance of a feather or of feathers; to be or to appear in feathery form.
Checked by Edmond
Synonyms and Synonymous
n. [1]. Plume.[2]. Kind, nature, species.
Typed by Hester
Definition
n. one of the growths which form the covering of a bird: a feather-like ornament: the feathered end of an arrow: nature kind as in 'birds of a feather:' birds collectively: anything light or trifling.—v.t. to furnish or adorn with feathers.—ns. Feath′er-bed a mattress filled with feathers; Feath′er-board′ing (same as Weather-boarding q.v.).—p.adj. Feath′ered covered or fitted with feathers or anything feather-like: like the flight of a feathered animal swift: smoothed as with feathers.—ns. Feath′er-edge an edge of a board or plank thinner than the other edge; Feath′er-grass a perennial grass so called from the feathery appearance of its awns; Feath′er-head Feath′er-brain a frivolous person; Feath′eriness; Feath′ering plumage: the fitting of feathers to arrows: (archit.) an arrangement of small arcs or foils separated by projecting cusps frequently forming the feather-like ornament on the inner mouldings of arches; Feath′er-star a crinoid of feathery appearance and radiate structure; Feath′er-weight the lightest weight that may be carried by a racing-horse: a boxer wrestler &c. of a class below the light-weights—hence one of small importance or ability.—adj. Feath′ery pertaining to resembling or covered with feathers.—Feather an oar to turn the blade of the oar horizontally as it comes out of the water thus lessening the resistance of the air; Feather one's nest to accumulate wealth for one's self while serving others in a position of trust.—A feather in one's cap some striking mark of distinction; Be in high feather to be greatly elated or in high spirits; Make the feathers fly to throw into confusion by a sudden attack; Show the white feather to show signs of cowardice—a white feather in a gamecock's tail being considered as a sign of degeneracy.
Inputed by Kirsten
Unserious Contents or Definition
To dream of seeing feathers falling around you, denotes that your burdens in life will be light and easily borne. To see eagle feathers, denotes that your aspirations will be realized. To see chicken feathers, denotes small annoyances. To dream of buying or selling geese or duck feathers, denotes thrift and fortune. To dream of black feathers, denotes disappointments and unhappy amours. For a woman to dream of seeing ostrich and other ornamental feathers, denotes that she will advance in society, but her ways of gaining favor will not bear imitating.
Typist: Sam
Examples
- These are feather-weights; they want ballast. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- There is no apparent relation between effects so dissimilar; yet the steps of progress can be distinctly traced, from the attraction of a feather to the development of the electric telegraph. Frederick C. Bakewell. Great Facts.
- Nay, say rather the feather-pated giddy madmen, said Waldemar, who must be toying with follies when such business was in hand. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- Only in summer days of highest feather did its mood touch the level of gaiety. Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- Apply with a feather or stick into their hiding places. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- I sought the key of the side-door in the kitchen; I sought, too, a phial of oil and a feather; I oiled the key and the lock. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- Who of all these simple people first learned to feather its shaft? Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- She had always a new bonnet on, and flowers bloomed perpetually in it, or else magnificent curling ostrich feathers, soft and snowy as camellias. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- They pluck his feathers now and then and clip his wings, but he sings, he sings! Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- In our poultry, a large tuft of feathers on the head is generally accompanied by a diminished comb, and a large beard by diminished wattles. Charles Darwin. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.
- On their backs were oval shields, in their noses huge rings, while from the kinky wool of their heads protruded tufts of gay feathers. Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes.
- I congratulate you on your feathers. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Are my feathers so very much rumpled? Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- That is a beautiful plume of white ostrich-feathers in your bonnet. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- Feathered species sojourned here in hiding which would have created wonder if found elsewhere. Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- But my little feathered children, dear lady, are only too like other children. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- Around her throng her eager, plump, happy feathered vassals John is about the stables, and John must be talked to, and her mare looked at. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- They are tarred and feathered and spat upon. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- She could climb a tree to rob the nests of the feathered songsters of their speckled spoils. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- His judges sat upon the Bench in feathered hats; but the rough red cap and tricoloured cockade was the head-dress otherwise prevailing. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- In her movements, in her gaze, she reminded the beholder of the feathered creatures who lived around her home. Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- Several attempts have been made to remedy this defect, and to produce what is called feathering floats, every one of which will act against the water at right angles. Frederick C. Bakewell. Great Facts.
- Manley in 1862, and Morgan in 1875, patented practical forms of the feathering paddle wheel. Edward W. Byrn. The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.
- She is driven by double compound inclined engines, has feathering paddle wheels 35 feet in diameter and 14 feet face, and her speed is over 20 miles an hour. Edward W. Byrn. The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.
- The Adirondack, whose engines and feathering paddle wheel are shown in Fig. 113, is 412 feet long and 90 feet breadth over guards. Edward W. Byrn. The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.
Checked by Beth