feather

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.2 Translations 1.5 Anagrams

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

Old English feþer.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: [ˈfɛð̥ə], /"fɛð.ə(ɹ)/, SAMPA: /"fED.@(r)/
• (US) IPA: [ˈfɛð̥ɚ]
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɛðə(r)

[edit] Noun

feather (plural feathers)

1. A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the wings of birds that allows their wings to create lift.
   • 1873, W. K. Brooks, "A Feather", Popular Science Monthly, volume IV, page 687

     Notice, too, that the shaft is not straight, but bent so that the upper surface of the feather is convex, and the lower concave.

   • 1914, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Beasts of Tarzan, chapter V

     Big fellows they were, all of them, their barbaric headdresses and grotesquely painted faces, together with their many metal ornaments and gorgeously coloured feathers, adding to their wild, fierce appearance.

   • 2000, C. J. Puotinen, The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care‎, page 362

     Nesting birds pluck some of their own feathers to line the nest, but feather plucking in pet birds is entirely different.

[edit] Derived terms

afterfeather birds of a feather flock together contour feather

fine feathers make fine birds flight feather light as a feather

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to feather (third-person singular simple present feathers, present participle feathering, simple past and past participle feathered)

1. To cover with feathers.
2. To arrange in the manner or appearance of feathers.

   The stylist feathered my hair.

3. (ambitransitive, rowing) To rotate the oars while they are out of the water to reduce wind resistance.
4. (aeronautics) 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.

5. (carpentry, engineering) To finely shave or bevel an edge.
6. (computer graphics) To intergrade or blend the pixels of an image with those of a background or neighboring image.

[edit] Derived terms

• feather one's nest/feather one's own nest
• tar and feather

[edit] Translations

This word is a Wiktionary:Basic English Word List word.

It is under review as part of the Project - Basic English Word Cleanup. At the moment it is classed as Ready.

[edit] Anagrams

• Alphagram: aeefhrt
• feareth
• terefah