fledge

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

fledge, a. [OE. flegge, flygge; akin to D. vlug, G. flÜgge, flÜcke, OHG. flucchi, Icel. fleygr, and to E. fly. Fly, v. i.].

 Feathered; furnished with feathers or wings; able to fly.  [1913 Webster]
"His shoulders, fledge with wings."  [1913 Webster]

fledge, v. t. & i. 

•  To furnish with feathers; to supply with the feathers necessary for flight.  [1913 Webster]

  "The birds were not as yet fledged enough to shift for themselves."  [1913 Webster]
•  To furnish or adorn with any soft covering.  [1913 Webster]

  "Your master, whose chin is not yet fledged."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

fledge, v.
1 intr. (of a bird) grow feathers.
2 tr. provide (an arrow) with feathers.
3 tr. bring up (a young bird) until it can fly.
4 tr. (as fledged adj.) a able to fly. b independent; mature.
5 tr. deck or provide with feathers or down.

Etymology

obs. fledge (adj.) 'fit to fly', f. OE flycge (recorded in unfligge) f. a Gmc root rel. to FLY(1)

THESAURUS

fledge

attain majority, bloom, come of age, come to maturity, develop, feather, flower, grow, grow up, leave the nest, mature, mellow, reach manhood, reach twenty-one, reach voting age, ripen, season, settle down, temper, toga virilis

ROGET THESAURUS

fledge

Preparation

VB prepare, get ready, make ready, make preparations, settle preliminaries, get up, sound the note of preparation, set in order, put in order, forecast, prepare the ground, plow the ground, dress the ground, till the soil, cultivate the soil, predispose, sow the seed, lay a train, dig a mine, lay the groundwork, fix the groundwork, lay the basis, fix the basis, lay the foundations, fix the foundations, dig the foundations, erect the scaffolding, lay the first stone, roughhew, cut out work, block out, hammer out, lick into shape, elaborate, mature, ripen, mellow, season, bring to maturity, nurture, hatch, cook, brew, temper, anneal, smelt, barbecue, infumate, maturate, equip, arm, man, fit-out, fit up, furnish, rig, dress, garnish, betrim, accouter, array, fettle, fledge, dress up, furbish up, brush up, vamp up, refurbish, sharpen one's tools, trim one's foils, set, prime, attune, whet the knife, whet the sword, wind up, screw up, adjust, put in trim, put in train, put in gear, put in working order, put in tune, put in a groove for, put in harness, pack, train, inure, breed, prepare for, rehearse, make provision for, take steps, take measures, take precautions, provide, provide against, beat up for recruits, open the door to, set one's house in order, make all snug, clear the decks, clear for action, close one's ranks, shuffle the cards, prepare oneself, serve an apprenticeship, lay oneself out for, get into harness, gird up one's loins, buckle on one's armor, reculer pour mieux sauter, prime and load, shoulder arms, get the steam up, put the horses to, guard against, make sure against, forearm, make sure, prepare for the evil day, have a rod in pickle, provide against a rainy day, feather one's nest, lay in provisions, make investments, keep on foot, be prepared, be ready, hold oneself in readiness, keep one's powder dry, lie in wait for, anticipate, principiis obstare, veniente occurrere morbo.