Word Meanings - FEATHER - Book Publishers vocabulary database

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. A thin wedge driven between the two

Additional info about word: FEATHER

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. 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. 8. The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water. Note: Feather is used adjectively or in combination, meaning composed of, or resembling, a feather or feathers; as, feather fan, feather- heeled, feather duster. Feather alum , 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 , a kind of grass 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 , 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 , copper granulated by pouring into cold water. Raymond. -- Feather spray , the spray thrown up, like pairs of feathers, by the cutwater of a fast-moving vessel. -- Feather star. See Comatula. -- Feather weight. Scrupulously exact weight, so that a feather would turn the scale, when a jockey is weighed or weighted. The lightest weight that can be put on the back of a horse in racing. Youatt. 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. -- To be in full feather, to be in full dress or in one's best clothes. -- To be in high feather, to be in high spirits. -- To cut a feather. To make the water foam in moving; in allusion to the ripple which a ship throws off from her bows. To make one's self conspicuous. -- 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. (more info) fedara, G. feder, Icel. fjö, Sw. fjäder, Dan. fjæder, Gr. pattra wing, feathr, pat to fly, and prob. to L. penna feather, wing. sq. 1. One of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds, belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down. 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 laminæ or barbs, which 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. I am not of that feather to shake off My friend when he must need me. Shak. 3. The fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs. 4. A tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse. 5. One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of FEATHER)

• Trophy
• War-spoil
• acquisition
• laurels
• palm
• bays
• wreath
• prize
• medal
• feather

Related words: (words related to FEATHER)

• FEATHERNESS
  The state or condition of being feathery.
• FEATHER-FEW
  Feverfew.
• FEATHER-VEINED
  Having the veins diverging from the two sides of a midrib.
• MEDAL PLAY
  Play in which the score is reckoned by counting the number of strokes.
• FEATHER-FOIL
  An aquatic plant , having finely divided leaves.
• WREATHLESS
  Destitute of a wreath.
• ACQUISITION
  1. The act or process of acquiring. The acquisition or loss of a province. Macaulay. 2. The thing acquired or gained; an acquirement; a gain; as, learning is an acquisition. Syn. -- See Acquirement.
• WREATHE
  1. To cause to revolve or writhe; to twist about; to turn. And from so heavy sight his head did wreathe. Spenser. 2. To twist; to convolve; to wind one about another; to entwine. The nods and smiles of recognition into which this singular
• MEDALET
  A small medal.
• FEATHER-EDGED
  Having a feather-edge; also, having one edge thinner than the other, as a board; -- in the United States, said only of stuff one edge of which is made as thin as practicable.
• WREATH-SHELL
  A marine shell of the genus Turbo. See Turbo.
• FEATHERED
  Having a fringe of feathers, as the legs of certian birds; or of hairs, as the legs of a setter dog. (more info) 1. Clothed, covered, or fitted with feathers or wings; as, a feathered animal; a feathered arrow. Rise from the ground like feathered
• FEATHER-HEADED
  Giddy; frivolous; foolish. G. Eliot.
• MEDALLIC
  Of or pertaining to a medal, or to medals. "Our medallic history." Walpole.
• FEATHERLY
  Like feathers. Sir T. Browne.
• FEATHERY
  Pertaining to, or resembling, feathers; covered with, or as with, feathers; as, feathery spray or snow. Milton. Ye feathery people of mid air. Barry Cornwall.
• FEATHERSTITCH
  A kind of embroidery stitch producing a branching zigzag line.
• FEATHER-HEELED
  Light-heeled; gay; frisky; frolicsome.
• FEATHER-HEAD
  A frivolous or featherbrained person. H. James.
• HYPERTROPHY
  A condition of overgrowth or excessive development of an organ or part; -- the opposite of atrophy.
• EUTROPHY
  Healthy nutrition; soundless as regards the nutritive functions.
• PINFEATHERED
  Having part, or all, of the feathers imperfectly developed.
• OVERPRIZE
  Toprize excessively; to overvalue. Sir H. Wotton.
• INTERWREATHE
  To weave into a wreath; to intertwine. Lovelace.
• SEA FEATHER
  Any gorgonian which branches in a plumelike form.
• EXSTROPHY
  The eversion or turning out of any organ, or of its inner surface; as, exstrophy of the eyelid or of the bladder.
• APPRIZER
  A creditor for whom an appraisal is made. Sir W. Scott. (more info) 1. An appraiser.
• INWREATHE
  Resplendent locks, inwreathed with beams. Milton.
• ASTROPHYTON
  A genus of ophiurans having the arms much branched.
• APPRIZEMENT
  Appraisement.
• OUTPRIZE
  To prize beyong value, or in excess; to exceed in value. Shak.