[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

feather \feath"er\ fe^th"~er, n. oe. fether, as.
   feether; akin to d. veder, ohg. fedara, g. feder, icel.
   fj"oethr, sw. fjaumder, dan. fjaeder, gr. ptero`n
   wing, feather, pe`tesqai to fly, skr. pattra wing, feather,
   pat to fly, and prob. to l. penna feather, wing. root76,
   248. cf. pen a feather.
   1. one of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds,
      belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down.
      1913 webster

   note: 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 laminae 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.

   2. kind; nature; species; -- from the proverbial phrase,
      "birds of a feather," that is, of the same species. r.
      1913 webster

            i am not of that feather to shake off
            my friend when he must need me.       --shak.
      1913 webster

   3. the fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some
      other dogs.
      1913 webster

   4. a tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse.
      1913 webster

   5. one of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.
      1913 webster

   6. mach.  carp. 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

   7. 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

   8. 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

   note: 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. zool. 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.
      1913 webster
see also:
pen down quill plumage feather alum halotrichite 
feather bed feather driver feather duster feather flower feather grass 
stipa pennata feather maker feather ore feather shot feathered shot 
feather spray feather star comatula feather weight light weight 
middle weight heavy weight a feather in the cap to be in full feather to be in high feather 
to cut a feather to show the white feather 

Feather >> F Words
Feather, definition of term: Feather
feather_pag1.html

Grass >> G Words
Grass, definition of term: Grass
grass_pag1.html

Grass Roots >> G Words
Grass Roots, definition of term: Grass Roots
grass+roots_pag1.html

Grass Widow >> G Words
Grass Widow, definition of term: Grass Widow
grass+widow_pag1.html

Grass Widower >> G Words
Grass Widower, definition of term: Grass Widower
grass+widower_pag1.html

Grass Spider >> G Words
Grass Spider, definition of term: Grass Spider
grass+spider_pag1.html

Feather Duster >> F Words
Feather Duster, definition of term: Feather Duster
feather+duster_pag1.html

Blue Grass >> B Words
Blue Grass, definition of term: Blue Grass
blue+grass_pag1.html

Blue-Eyed Grass >> B Words
Blue-Eyed Grass, definition of term: Blue-Eyed Grass
blue-eyed+grass_pag1.html

Cotton Grass >> C Words
Cotton Grass, definition of term: Cotton Grass
cotton+grass_pag1.html

Page 1 2 3 Next