Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. feather, plume, plumage(noun)

   the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds

2. feather, feathering(verb)

   turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls

3. feather(verb)

   join tongue and groove, in carpentry

4. feather(verb)

   cover or fit with feathers

5. feather, square(verb)

   turn the paddle; in canoeing

6. feather, square(verb)

   turn the oar, while rowing

7. fledge, feather(verb)

   grow feathers

   "The young sparrows are fledging already"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. feather(Noun)

   A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the wings of birds that allows their wings to create lift.

2. feather(Noun)

   Long hair on lower legs of heavier horses, especially draft horses, notably the Clydesdale breed. Narrowly only the rear hair.

3. feather(Verb)

   To cover with feathers.

4. feather(Verb)

   To arrange in the manner or appearance of feathers.

   The stylist feathered my hair.

5. feather(Verb)

   To rotate the oars while they are out of the water to reduce wind resistance.

6. feather(Verb)

   To streamline the blades of an aircraft's propeller by rotating them perpendicular to the axis of the propeller when the engine is shut down so that the propeller doesn't windmill as the aircraft flies.

   After striking the bird, the pilot feathered the left, damaged engine's propeller.

7. feather(Verb)

   To finely shave or bevel an edge.

8. feather(Verb)

   To intergrade or blend the pixels of an image with those of a background or neighboring image.

Origin: From fether, from feþer, from feþrō, from peta-. The Indo-European root is also the source of Greek πέτεσθαι, πτῶσις, shpend, Latin penna, Old Armenian թիռ. Celtic *petno- (Old Irish én, Breton ein ‘bird’).

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Feather(noun)

   one of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds, belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down

2. Feather(noun)

   kind; nature; species; -- from the proverbial phrase, "Birds of a feather," that is, of the same species

3. Feather(noun)

   the fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs

4. Feather(noun)

   a tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse

5. Feather(noun)

   one of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow

6. Feather(noun)

   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

7. Feather(noun)

   a thin wedge driven between the two semicylindrical parts of a divided plug in a hole bored in a stone, to rend the stone

8. Feather(noun)

   the angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water

9. Feather(verb)

   to furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a cap

10. Feather(verb)

    to adorn, as with feathers; to fringe

11. Feather(verb)

    to render light as a feather; to give wings to

12. Feather(verb)

    to enrich; to exalt; to benefit

13. Feather(verb)

    to tread, as a cock

14. Feather(verb)

    to grow or form feathers; to become feathered; -- often with out; as, the birds are feathering out

15. Feather(verb)

    to curdle when poured into another liquid, and float about in little flakes or "feathers;" as, the cream feathers

16. Feather(verb)

    to turn to a horizontal plane; -- said of oars

17. Feather(verb)

    to have the appearance of a feather or of feathers; to be or to appear in feathery form

Origin: [OE. fether, AS. feer; akin to D. veder, OHG. fedara, G. feder, Icel. fjr, Sw. fjder, Dan. fjder, Gr. ptero`n wing, feather, pe`tesqai to fly, Skr. pattra wing, feather, pat to fly, and prob. to L. penna feather, wing. 76, 248. Cf. Pen a feather.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Feather

   Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They are among the characteristics that distinguish the extant Aves from other living groups. Feathers have also been noticed in those Theropoda which have been termed feathered dinosaurs. Although feathers cover most parts of the body of birds, they arise only from certain well-defined tracts on the skin. They aid in flight, thermal insulation, waterproofing and coloration that helps in communication and protection.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Feather

   feth′ėr, 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. [A.S. feðer; Ger. feder; L. penna, Gr. pteron.]

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. feather

   Song lyrics by feather -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by feather on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'feather' in Nouns Frequency: #2595

Anagrams for feather »

1. feareth

2. terefah

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of feather in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of feather in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. UNKNOWN:

   Birds of feather flocks together

2. Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time:

   Death is as light as a feather; duty as heavy as a mountain.

3. Robert Jordan, The Great Hunt, Book 2 of The Wheel of Time:

   Life is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.

4. Jordan, Robert:

   Duty is heavier than a mountain, death lighter than a feather.

5. Allen Ginsberg:

   Democracy! Bah! When I hear that word I reach for my feather Boa!

Images & Illustrations of feather