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: F F. Fa Fb Fc Fd Fe Fh Fi Fj Fl Fm Fn Fo Fp Fr Fs Ft Fu Fw Fy
feastful | feasting | feat | feat-bodied | feateous | feather | feather ball | feather bed | feather boa | feather geranium | feather one's nest

feather

RELATED WORDS :


 : 
Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
 : 
feath=er

CIDE DICTIONARY

feathern. [OE. fether, AS. fe; akin to D. veder, OHG. fedara, G. feder, Icel. fjö, Sw. fjäder, Dan. fjæder, Gr. ptero`n wing, feather, pe`tesqai to fly, Skr. pattra wing, feather, pat to fly, and prob. to L. penna feather, wing. Pen a feather.].
  •  One of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds, belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down.  [1913 Webster]
    " An ordinary feather consists of the quill or hollow basal part of the stem; the shaft or rachis, forming the upper, solid part of the stem; the vanes or webs, implanted on the rachis and consisting of a series of slender laminæ or barbs, which usually bear barbules, which in turn usually bear barbicels and interlocking hooks by which they are fastened together. See Down, Quill, Plumage."
  •  Kind; nature; species; -- from the proverbial phrase, “Birds of a feather,” that is, of the same species.  [1913 Webster]
    "I am not of that feather to shake off
    My friend when he must need me.
    "  [1913 Webster]
  •  The fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs.  [1913 Webster]
  •  A tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse.  [1913 Webster]
  •  One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.  [1913 Webster]
  •  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.  [1913 Webster]
  •  A thin wedge driven between the two semicylindrical parts of a divided plug in a hole bored in a stone, to rend the stone.  Knight.  [1913 Webster]
  •  The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.  [1913 Webster]
    " Feather is used adjectively or in combination, meaning composed of, or resembling, a feather or feathers; as, feather fan, feather-heeled, feather duster."  [1913 Webster]
Feather alum (Min.), a hydrous sulphate of alumina, resulting from volcanic action, and from the decomposition of iron pyrites; -- called also halotrichite. Ure. -- Feather bed, a bed filled with feathers. -- Feather driver, one who prepares feathers by beating. -- Feather duster, a dusting brush of feathers. -- Feather flower, an artifical flower made of feathers, for ladies' headdresses, and other ornamental purposes. -- Feather grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Stipa pennata) which has a long feathery awn rising from one of the chaffy scales which inclose the grain. -- Feather maker, one who makes plumes, etc., of feathers, real or artificial. -- Feather ore (Min.), a sulphide of antimony and lead, sometimes found in capillary forms and like a cobweb, but also massive. It is a variety of Jamesonite. -- Feather shot, or Feathered shot (Metal.), copper granulated by pouring into cold water. Raymond. -- Feather spray (Naut.), the spray thrown up, like pairs of feathers, by the cutwater of a fast-moving vessel. -- Feather star. (Zoöl.) See Comatula. -- Feather weight. (Racing) (a) Scrupulously exact weight, so that a feather would turn the scale, when a jockey is weighed or weighted. (b) The lightest weight that can be put on the back of a horse in racing. Youatt. (c) In wrestling, boxing, etc., a term applied to the lightest of the classes into which contestants are divided; -- in contradistinction to light weight, middle weight, and heavy weight. -- A feather in the cap an honour, trophy, or mark of distinction. [Colloq.] -- To be in full feather, to be in full dress or in one's best clothes. [Collog.] -- To be in high feather, to be in high spirits. [Collog.] -- To cut a feather. (a) (Naut.) To make the water foam in moving; in allusion to the ripple which a ship throws off from her bows. (b) To make one's self conspicuous. [Colloq.] -- To show the white feather, to betray cowardice, -- a white feather in the tail of a cock being considered an indication that he is not of the true game breed.
featherv. t. 
  •  To furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a cap.  [1913 Webster]
    "An eagle had the ill hap to be struck with an arrow feathered from her own wing."  [1913 Webster]
  •  To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.  [1913 Webster]
    "A few birches and oaks still feathered the narrow ravines."  [1913 Webster]
  •  To render light as a feather; to give wings to.  [1913 Webster]
    "The Polonian story perhaps may feather some tedious hours."  [1913 Webster]
  •  To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.  [1913 Webster]
    "They stuck not to say that the king cared not to plume his nobility and people to feather himself."  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]
  •  To tread, as a cock.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]
To feather one's nest, to provide for one's self especially from property belonging to another, confided to one's care; -- an expression taken from the practice of birds which collect feathers for the lining of their nests. -- To feather an oar (Naut), to turn it when it leaves the water so that the blade will be horizontal and offer the least resistance to air while reaching for another stroke. -- To tar and feather a person, to smear him with tar and cover him with feathers, as a punishment or an indignity.
featherv. i. 
  •  To grow or form feathers; to become feathered; -- often with out; as, the birds are feathering out.  [1913 Webster]
  •  To curdle when poured into another liquid, and float about in little flakes or “feathers;” as, the cream feathers.  [1913 Webster]
  •  To turn to a horizontal plane; -- said of oars.  [1913 Webster]
    "The feathering oar returns the gleam."  [1913 Webster]
    "Stopping his sculls in the air to feather accurately."  [1913 Webster]
  •  To have the appearance of a feather or of feathers; to be or to appear in feathery form.  [1913 Webster]
    "A clump of ancient cedars feathering in evergreen beauty down to the ground."  [1913 Webster]
    "The ripple feathering from her bows."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

feather, n. & v.
--n.
1 any of the appendages growing from a bird's skin, with a horny hollow stem and fine strands.
2 one or more of these as decoration etc.
3 (collect.) a plumage. b game-birds.
--v.
1 tr. cover or line with feathers.
2 tr. Rowing turn (an oar) so that it passes through the air edgeways.
3 tr. Aeron. & Naut. a cause (the propeller blades) to rotate in such a way as to lessen the air or water resistance. b vary the angle of incidence of (helicopter blades).
4 intr. float, move, or wave like feathers.

Idiom
feather bed a bed with a mattress stuffed with feathers. feather-bed v.tr. (-bedded, -bedding) provide with (esp. financial) advantages. feather-bedding the employment of excess staff. feather-brain (or -head) a silly or absent-minded person. feather-brained (or -headed) silly, absent-minded. feather-edge the fine edge of a wedge-shaped board. a feather in one's cap an achievement to one's credit. feather one's nest enrich oneself. feather-stitch ornamental zigzag sewing. in fine (or high) feather colloq. in good spirits.
Derivative
feathered adj. (also in comb.). featherless adj. feathery adj. featheriness n.
Etymology
OE fether, gefithrian, f. Gmc

THESAURUS

feather

a continental, a curse, a damn, a darn, a hoot, air, bagatelle, bank, bauble, bead, bean, bejewel, beribbon, bespangle, bibelot, bit, blood, blubber, brand, brass farthing, breed, breeze, bubble, butter, button, cast, catch a crab, ceil, cent, chaff, character, chip, clan, clay, cobweb, color, cork, covert, crab, crest, curio, cushion, cut a crab, denomination, description, designation, diamond, dip, dough, down, dust, eiderdown, engrave, ether, face, fairy, farce, farthing, feather an oar, feather bed, feathers, fig, figure, filigree, fill, fishtail, flag, fleabite, fledge, fleece, floss, flounce, flower, flue, fluff, foam, folderol, form, fribble, frippery, froth, fur, fuzz, garland, gaud, gem, genre, genus, gewgaw, gimcrack, give way, gossamer, grain, hackle, hair, halfpenny, hill of beans, ilk, illuminate, inlay, interline, jest, jewel, joke, kapok, kickshaw, kidney, kin, kind, knickknack, knickknackery, label, line, load, loop, lot, mail, make, manner, mark, minikin, mockery, mold, molehill, mote, nature, number, order, pace, pack, pad, paddle, paint, panache, peppercorn, persuasion, phylum, picayune, pillow, pin, pinch of snuff, pinion, pinprick, plow, plumage, plume, plumule, plush, ply the oar, porpoise, pudding, puff, pull, pull out, pull up, punt, push down, putty, quill, race, rap, red cent, ribbon, roll, row, row away, row dry, row of pins, rubber, rush, satin, scapular, scull, shape, ship oars, shit, shoot, sideslip, silk, skid, sky an oar, snap, sneeshing, sort, sou, spangle, species, speculum, spin, spiral, sponge, spume, stamp, strain, straw, stripe, stuff, stunt, style, swansdown, the like of, the likes of, thistledown, tinsel, topknot, toy, tribe, trifle, trinket, triviality, tuft, tuppence, two cents, twopence, type, undulate, variety, velvet, wad, wainscot, wax, whim-wham, wool, wreathe, yaw, zephyr

ROGET THESAURUS

feather

Unimportance

N unimportance, insignificance, nothingness, immateriality, triviality, levity, frivolity, paltriness, poverty, smallness, vanity, matter of indifference, no object, nothing, nothing to signify, nothing worth speaking of, nothing particular, nothing to boast of, nothing to speak of, small matter, no great matter, trifling matter, mere joke, mere nothing, hardly anything, scarcely anything, nonentity, small beer, cipher, no great shakes, peu de chose, child's play, kinderspiel, toy, plaything, popgun, paper pellet, gimcrack, gewgaw, bauble, trinket, bagatelle, Rickshaw, knickknack, whim-wham, trifle, trifles light as air, yankee notions, trumpery, trash, rubbish, stuff, fatras, frippery, leather or prunello, chaff, drug, froth bubble smoke, cobweb, weed, refuse, scum, joke, jest, snap of the fingers, fudge, fiddlestick, fiddlestick end, pack of nonsense, mere farce, straw, pin, fig, button, rush, bulrush, feather, halfpenny, farthing, brass farthing, doit, peppercorn, jot, rap, pinch of snuff, old son, cent, mill, picayune, pistareen, red cent, minutiae, details, minor details, small fry, dust in the balance, feather in the scale, drop in the ocean, flea-bite, molehill, nine days' wonder, ridiculus mus, flash in the pan, much ado about nothing, unimportant, of little account, of small account, of no account, of little importance, of no importance, immaterial, unessential, nonessential, indifferent, subordinate, mediocre, passable, fair, respectable, tolerable, commonplace, uneventful, mere, common, ordinary, inconsiderable, so-so, insignificant, inappreciable, trifling, trivial, slight, slender, light, flimsy, frothy, idle, puerile, airy, shallow, weak, powerless, frivolous, petty, niggling, piddling, peddling, fribble, inane, ridiculous, farcical, finical, finikin, fiddle-faddle, fingle-fangle, namby-pamby, wishy-washy, milk and water, poor, paltry, pitiful, contemptible, sorry, mean, meager, shabby, miserable, wretched, vile, scrubby, scrannel, weedy, niggardly, scurvy, putid, beggarly, worthless, twopennyhalfpenny, cheap, trashy, catchpenny, gimcrack, trumpery, one- horse, not worth the pains, not worth while, not worth mentioning, not worth speaking of, not worth a thought, not worth a curse, not worth a straw, beneath notice, unworthy of notice, beneath regard, unworthy of regard, beneath consideration, unworthy of consideration, de lana caprina, vain, slightly, rather, somewhat, pretty well, tolerably, for aught one cares, Int, no matter!, pish!, tush!, tut!, pshaw!, pugh!, pooh, pooh-pooh!, fudge!, bosh!, humbug!, fiddlestick, fiddlestick end!, fiddlededee!, never mind!, n'importe!, what signifies it, what boots it, what of it, what of that, what matter, what's the odds, a fig for', stuff!, nonsense!, stuff and nonsense, magno conatu magnas nugas, le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle, it matters not, it does not signify, it is of no consequence, it is of no importance, elephantus non capit murem, tempete dans un verre d'eau.

Class

N class, division, category, categorema, head, order, section, department, subdepartment, province, domain, kind, sort, genus, species, variety, family, order, kingdom, race, tribe, caste, sept, clan, breed, type, subtype, kit, sect, set, subset, assortment, feather, kidney, suit, range, gender, sex, kin, manner, description, denomination, designation, rubric, character, stamp predicament, indication, particularization, selection, specification, similarity.

Ornament

N ornament, floridness c, adj, turgidity, turgescence, altiloquence, declamation, teratology, well-rounded periods, elegance, orotundity, inversion, antithesis, alliteration, paronomasia, figurativeness, flourish, flowers of speech, flowers of rhetoric, frills of style, euphuism, euphemism, big-sounding words, high-sounding words, macrology, sesquipedalia verba, Alexandrine, inflation, pretension, rant, bombast, fustian, prose run mad, fine writing, sesquipedality, Minerva press, phrasemonger, euphuist, euphemist, ornament, beautified, ornate, florid, rich, flowery, euphuistic, euphemistic, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, inflated, swelling, tumid, turgid, turgescent, pedantic, pompous, stilted, orotund, high flown, high flowing, sententious, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiose, grandiloquent, magniloquent, altiloquent, sesquipedal, sesquipedalian, Johnsonian, mouthy, bombastic, fustian, frothy, flashy, flaming, antithetical, alliterative, figurative, artificial, ore rutundo, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art, ornature, ornateness, adornment, decoration, embellishment, architecture, jewelry, garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer, gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e, cosmetics (in general), makeup, eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush, pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting, detail, repousse (convexity), texture, richness, tracery, molding, fillet, listel, strapwork, coquillage, flourish, fleur-de-lis, arabesque, fret, anthemion, egg and tongue, egg and dart, astragal, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche, pilaster, bead, beading, champleve ware, cloisonne ware, frost work, Moresque, Morisco, tooling, embroidery, brocade, brocatelle, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming, hanging, tapestry, arras, millinery, ermine, drap d'or, wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue, tassel knot, shoulder knot, apaulette, epaulet, aigulet, frog, star, rosette, bow, feather, plume, pompom, panache, aigrette, finery, frippery, gewgaw, gimcrack, tinsel, spangle, clinquant, pinchbeck, paste, excess of ornament, gaud, pride, illustration, illumination, vignette, fleuron, head piece, tail piece, cul-de-lampe, flowers of rhetoric, work of art, ornamented, beautified, ornate, rich, gilt, begilt, tesselated, festooned, champleve, cloisonne, topiary, smart, gay, trickly, flowery, glittering, new gilt, new spangled, fine as a Mayday queen, fine as a fivepence, fine as a carrot fresh scraped, pranked out, bedight, well-groomed, in full dress, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, dressed to advantage, in Sunday best, en grand tenue, en grande toilette, in best bib and tucker, endimanche, showy, flashy, gaudy, garish, gairish, gorgeous, ornamental, decorative, becoming.

Title

N title, honor, knighthood, highness, excellency, grace, lordship, worship, reverence, reverend, esquire, sir, master, Mr, signor, senor, Mein Herr, mynheer, your honor, his honor, serene highness, handle to one's name, decoration, laurel, palm, wreath, garland, bays, medal, ribbon, riband, blue ribbon, cordon, cross, crown, coronet, star, garter, feather, feather in one's cap, epaulet, epaulette, colors, cockade, livery, order, arms, shield, scutcheon, reward.

Roughness

N roughness, tooth, grain, texture, ripple, asperity, rugosity, salebrosity, corrugation, nodosity, arborescence, pilosity, brush, hair, beard, shag, mane, whisker, moustache, imperial, tress, lock, curl, ringlet, fimbriae, pili, cilia, villi, lovelock, beaucatcher, curl paper, goatee, papillote, scalp lock, plumage, plumosity, plume, panache, crest, feather, tuft, fringe, toupee, wool, velvet, plush, nap, pile, floss, fur, down, byssus, moss, bur, fluff, knot (convolution), rough, uneven, scabrous, scaly, knotted, rugged, rugose, rugous, knurly, asperous, crisp, salebrous, gnarled, unpolished, unsmooth, roughhewn, craggy, cragged, crankling, scraggy, prickly, arborescent, leafy, well-wooded, feathery, plumose, plumigerous, laciniate, laciniform, laciniose, pappose, pileous, pilose, trichogenous, trichoid, tufted, fimbriated, hairy, ciliated, filamentous, hirsute, crinose, crinite, bushy, hispid, villous, pappous, bearded, pilous, shaggy, shagged, fringed, befringed, setous, setose, setaceous, like quills upon the fretful porcupine, rough as a nutmeg grater, rough as a bear, downy, velvety, flocculent, woolly, lanate, lanated, lanuginous, lanuginose, tomentose, fluffy, against the grain, cabello luengo y corto el seso.

Levity

N levity, lightness, imponderability, buoyancy, volatility, feather, dust, mote, down, thistle, down, flue, cobweb, gossamer, straw, cork, bubble, balloon, float, buoy, ether, air, leaven, ferment, barm, yeast, lighter-than-air balloon, helium balloon, hydrogen balloon, hot air balloon, convection, thermal draft, thermal, light, subtile, airy, imponderous, imponderable, astatic, weightless, ethereal, sublimated, gossamery, suberose, suberous, uncompressed, volatile, buoyant, floating, portable, light as a feather, light as a thistle, light as air, lighter than air, rise like a balloon, float like a balloon.


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