feath·er (f?th??r) n. 1. One of the light, flat structures growing from the skin of birds, consisting of numerous slender, closely arranged parallel barbs forming a vane on either side of a horny, tapering, partly hollow shaft. 2. A feathery tuft or fringe of hair, as on the legs or tail of some dogs. 3. Character, kind, or nature: Birds of a feather flock together. 4. a. A strip, wedge, or flange used as a strengthening part. b. A wedge or key that fits into a groove to make a joint. 5. The vane of an arrow. 6. A feather-shaped flaw, as in a precious stone. 7. The wake made by a submarine’s periscope. 8. The act of feathering the blade of an oar in rowing. v. feath·ered, feath·er·ing, feath·ers v. tr. 1. To cover, dress, or decorate with feathers or featherlike projections. 2. To fit (an arrow) with a feather. 3. a. To thin, reduce, or fringe the edge of (wood, for example) by cutting, shaving, or making thinner. b. To spread (paint, for example) thinly at the edges so as to blend with the surrounding area. c. To shorten and taper (hair) by cutting and thinning. d. To blur or soften the edge of (an image). 4. To apply (a brake, throttle, or other control) gently or slightly and steadily. 5. To turn (an oar blade) almost horizontal as it is carried back after each stroke. 6. a. To alter the pitch of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are parallel with the line of flight. b. To alter the pitch of (the rotor of a helicopter) while in forward flight. 7. To turn off (an aircraft engine) while in flight. v. intr. 1. To grow feathers or become feathered. 2. To move, spread, or grow in a manner suggestive of feathers: “Steam feathered out from under the bathroom door” (Melinda Hayes). 3. To become thin or less dense at the edges: “That lipstick had feathered out in the corners of her mouth” (Erin McCarthy). 4. To feather an oar. 5. To feather a propeller. Idioms: feather in (one’s) cap An act or deed to one’s credit; a distinctive achievement. feather (one’s) nest To grow wealthy by taking advantage of one’s position or by making use of property or funds left in one’s trust. in fine (or good or high) featherIn excellent form, health, or humor. [Middle English fether, from Old English; see pet- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.feather (?f?ð?) n1. (Zoology) any of the flat light waterproof epidermal structures forming the plumage of birds, each consisting of a hollow shaft having a vane of barbs on either side. They are essential for flight and help maintain body temperature2. something resembling a feather, such as a tuft of hair or grass3. (Archery) archery a. a bird’s feather or artificial substitute fitted to an arrow to direct its flightb. the feathered end of an arrow, opposite the head4. (Building) a strip, spline, or tongue of wood fitted into a groove5. (Nautical Terms) the wake created on the surface of the water by the raised periscope of a submarine6. (Rowing) rowing the position of an oar turned parallel to the water between strokes. Compare square87. (Dancing) a step in ballroom dancing in which a couple maintain the conventional hold but dance side by side8. condition of spirits; fettle: in fine feather. 9. something of negligible value; jot: I don’t care a feather. 10. birds of a feather people of the same type, character, or interests11. feather in one’s cap a cause for pleasure at one’s achievements: your promotion is a feather in your cap. 12. not take a feather out of someone not knock a feather out of someone Irish to fail to upset or injure someone: it didn’t take a feather out of him. vb13. (tr) to fit, cover, or supply with feathers14. (tr) to touch lightly15. (Rowing) rowing to turn (an oar) parallel to the water during recovery between strokes, principally in order to lessen wind resistance. Compare square4116. (Rowing) (in canoeing) to turn (a paddle) parallel to the direction of the canoe between strokes, while keeping it in the water, principally in order to move silently17. (Aeronautics) to change the pitch of (an aircraft propeller) so that the chord lines of the blades are in line with the airflow18. (Building) (tr) to join (two boards) by means of a tongue-and-groove joint19. (Zoology) (intr) (of a bird) to grow feathers20. (intr) to move or grow like feathers21. feather one’s nest to provide oneself with comforts, esp financial[Old English fether; related to Old Frisian fethere, Old Norse fjöthr feather, Old High German fedara wing, Greek petesthai to fly, Sanskrit patati he flies] ?featherless adj ?feather-?like adj ?feathery adjCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014feath?er (?f?ð ?r) n. 1. one of the horny epidermal structures that form the principal covering of birds, consisting of a hollow shaft bearing a series of slender barbs that interlock to form a flat surface on each side. 2. kind; character; nature: two boys of the same feather. 3. condition, as of health, spirits, etc. 4. something like a feather, as a tuft or fringe of hair. 5. something very light, small, or trivial. 6. one of the vanes at the tail of an arrow or dart, for stabilization in flight. 7. a spline for joining the grooved edges of two boards. 8. a featherlike flaw, esp. in a precious stone. 9. Archaic. attire (def. 2). 10. Obs. plumage. v.t. 11. to provide with feathers, as an arrow. 12. to clothe or cover with or as if with feathers. 13. to turn (an oar) after a stroke so that the blade becomes nearly horizontal, and hold it thus as it is moved back into position for the next stroke. 14. a. to change the blade angle of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are approximately parallel to the line of flight. b. to turn off (an aircraft engine) while in flight. v.i. 15. to grow feathers. 16. to be or become feathery in appearance. 17. to feather an oar. Idioms: 1. a feather in one’s cap, a praiseworthy achievement; honor. 2. feather one’s nest, to enrich oneself by exploiting one’s favorable or privileged position. [before 900; Middle English, Old English fether] feath?er?less, adj. feath?er?like`, adj. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.feath·er (f?th??r) One of the light, flat structures that cover the skin of birds. A feather has a narrow, hollow shaft bearing flat vanes formed of many parallel barbs. The barbs of outer feathers are formed of even smaller structures (called barbules) that interlock. The barbs of down feathers do not interlock.The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.featherPast participle: featheredGerund: featheringImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativefeatherfeatherPresentI featheryou featherhe/she/it featherswe featheryou featherthey featherPreteriteI featheredyou featheredhe/she/it featheredwe featheredyou featheredthey featheredPresent ContinuousI am featheringyou are featheringhe/she/it is featheringwe are featheringyou are featheringthey are featheringPresent PerfectI have featheredyou have featheredhe/she/it has featheredwe have featheredyou have featheredthey have featheredPast ContinuousI was featheringyou were featheringhe/she/it was featheringwe were featheringyou were featheringthey were featheringPast PerfectI had featheredyou had featheredhe/she/it had featheredwe had featheredyou had featheredthey had featheredFutureI will featheryou will featherhe/she/it will featherwe will featheryou will featherthey will featherFuture PerfectI will have featheredyou will have featheredhe/she/it will have featheredwe will have featheredyou will have featheredthey will have featheredFuture ContinuousI will be featheringyou will be featheringhe/she/it will be featheringwe will be featheringyou will be featheringthey will be featheringPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been featheringyou have been featheringhe/she/it has been featheringwe have been featheringyou have been featheringthey have been featheringFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been featheringyou will have been featheringhe/she/it will have been featheringwe will have been featheringyou will have been featheringthey will have been featheringPast Perfect ContinuousI had been featheringyou had been featheringhe/she/it had been featheringwe had been featheringyou had been featheringthey had been featheringConditionalI would featheryou would featherhe/she/it would featherwe would featheryou would featherthey would featherPast ConditionalI would have featheredyou would have featheredhe/she/it would have featheredwe would have featheredyou would have featheredthey would have featheredCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011