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2 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Feather \Feath"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Feathered; p. pr. &
vb. n. Feathering.]
1. 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. --L'Estrange.
[1913 Webster]
2. To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.
[1913 Webster]
A few birches and oaks still feathered the narrow
ravines. --Sir W.
Scott.
[1913 Webster]
3. To render light as a feather; to give wings to.[R.]
[1913 Webster]
The Polonian story perhaps may feather some tedious
hours. --Loveday.
[1913 Webster]
4. 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.
--Bacon.
--Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
5. 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.
[1913 Webster]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
Feather \Feath"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Feathered; p. pr. &
vb. n. Feathering.]
1. To furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a
cap.
An eagle had the ill hap to be struck with an arrow
feathered from her own wing. --L'Estrange.
2. To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.
A few birches and oaks still feathered the narrow
ravines. --Sir W.
Scott.
3. To render light as a feather; to give wings to.[R.]
The Polonian story perhaps may feather some tedions
hours. --Loveday.
4. To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.
They stuck not to say that the king cared not to
plume his nobility and people to feather himself.
--Bacon.
--Dryden.
5. To tread, as a cock. --Dryden.
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.
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