to bring up (a young bird) until it is able to fly.
2.
to furnish with or as if with feathers or plumage.
3.
to provide (an arrow) with feathers.
verb (used without object)
4.
(of a young bird) to acquire the feathers necessary for flight.
adjective
5.
Archaic. (of young birds) able to fly.
Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English flegge (fully-)fledged, Old English *flecge, as variant of -flycge; cognate with Old High German flucki,Middle Low German vlügge (> German flügge); akin to fly1
O.E. flycge (Kentish fligge), from W.Gmc. *fluggja- (cf. M.Du. vlugge, Low Ger. flügge). Originally an adj. meaning "having the feathers, fit to fly." As a verb, it is first attested in English 1560s. Related: Fledged; fledging.