Nearby Words

feathering

[feth-er-ing] Origin

feath·er·ing

[feth-er-ing]
noun
1.
a covering of feathers; plumage.
2.
the arrangement of feathers on an arrow.
3.
Music. a very light and delicate use of the violin bow.

Origin:
1520–30; feather + -ing1

un·der·feath·er·ing, noun

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Feathering is always a great word to know.
So is dominant seventh. Does it mean:
sequence of notes or chords indicating completion of a composition, section, phrase
contains a dominant chord, major third, perfect fifth and a minor seventh
Dictionary.com Unabridged

feath·er

[feth-er]
noun
1.
one of the horny structures forming the principal covering of birds, consisting typically of a hard, tubular portion attached to the body and tapering into a thinner, stemlike portion bearing a series of slender, barbed processes that interlock to form a flat structure on each side.
2.
kind; character; nature: two boys of the same feather.
3.
something like a feather, as a tuft or fringe of hair.
4.
something very light, small, or trivial: Your worry is a mere feather.
5.
Archery. one of the vanes at the tail of an arrow or dart.
EXPAND
6.
Carpentry. a spline for joining the grooved edges of two boards.
7.
Masonry. See under plug and feathers.
8.
a featherlike flaw, especially in a precious stone.
9.
Machinery. feather key.
10.
Archaic. attire.
11.
Obsolete. plumage.
COLLAPSE
verb (used with object)
12.
to provide with feathers, as an arrow.
13.
to clothe or cover with or as with feathers.
14.
Rowing. 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.
15.
Aeronautics.
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 engine) while in flight.
verb (used without object)
16.
to grow feathers.
17.
to be or become feathery in appearance.
18.
to move like feathers.
19.
Rowing. to feather an oar.
20.
feather into, South Midland U.S. to attack (a person, task, or problem) vigorously.
21.
a feather in one's cap, a praiseworthy accomplishment; distinction; honor: Being chosen class president is a feather in her cap.
22.
birds of a feather. bird (def. 15).
23.
feather one's nest, to take advantage of the opportunities to enrich oneself: The mayor had used his term of office to feather his nest.
24.
in fine/high feather, in good form, humor, or health: feeling in fine feather.
25.
ruffle someone's feathers, to anger, upset, or annoy (another person).
EXPAND
26.
smooth one's ruffled/rumpled feathers, to regain one's composure; become calm: After the argument, we each retired to our own rooms to smooth our ruffled feathers.
COLLAPSE

Origin:
before 900; Middle English, Old English fether; cognate with Dutch veder, German Feder, Old Norse fjǫthr; akin to Greek pterón, Sanskrit pátram wing, feather

feath·er·less, adjective
feath·er·less·ness, noun
feath·er·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To feathering
Collins
World English Dictionary
feathering (ˈfɛðərɪŋ)
 
n
1.  the plumage of a bird; feathers
2.  another word for feathers
3.  printing
 a.  an imperfection in print caused by the spreading of ink
 b.  the use of additional space between lines in typesetting in order to fill the page

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

feather
to furnish with wings, O.E. fiðerian; see feather (n.). Meaning to fit (an arrow) with feathers is from early 13c.; that of to deck, adorn, or provide with plumage is from late 15c. In reference to oars (later paddles, propellers, etc.) from 1740. Phrase feather ones
EXPAND
nest enrich oneself is from 1580s. Related: Feathered; feathering.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
feather   (fě'ər)  Pronunciation Key 


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One of the light, flat structures that cover the skin of birds. A feather is made of a horny substance and 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. Evolutionarily, feathers are modified scales, first seen in certain dinosaurs.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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