Library / English Dictionary

FEATHER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls

Synonyms:

feather; feathering

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("feather" is a kind of...):

rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

Holonyms ("feather" is a part of...):

row; rowing (the act of rowing as a sport)

Derivation:

feather (turn the oar, while rowing)

feather (turn the paddle; in canoeing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds

Synonyms:

feather; plumage; plume

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("feather" is a kind of...):

animal material (material derived from animals)

body covering (any covering for the body or a body part)

Meronyms (parts of "feather"):

vane; web (the flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft)

calamus; quill; shaft (the hollow spine of a feather)

Meronyms (substance of "feather"):

ceratin; keratin (a fibrous scleroprotein that occurs in the outer layer of the skin and in horny tissues such as hair, feathers, nails, and hooves)

melanin (insoluble pigments that account for the color of e.g. skin and scales and feathers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "feather"):

down; down feather (soft fine feathers)

aftershaft (a supplementary feather (usually small) on the underside of the base of the shaft of some feathers in some birds)

contour feather (feathers covering the body of an adult bird and determining its shape)

alula; bastard wing; spurious wing (tuft of small stiff feathers on the first digit of a bird's wing)

marabou (the downy feathers of marabou storks are used for trimming garments)

hackle (long slender feather on the necks of e.g. turkeys and pheasants)

flight feather; pinion; quill; quill feather (any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird)

scapular (a feather covering the shoulder of a bird)

Holonyms ("feather" is a part of...):

bird (warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings)

Derivation:

feather (grow feathers)

feather (cover or fit with feathers)

feathery (adorned with feathers or plumes)

feathery (characterized by a covering of feathers)

feathery (resembling or suggesting a feather or feathers)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Grow feathers

Example:

The young sparrows are fledging already

Synonyms:

feather; fledge

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "feather" is one way to...):

acquire; develop; get; grow; produce (come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

feather (the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Turn the oar, while rowing

Synonyms:

feather; square

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "feather" is one way to...):

row (propel with oars)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

feather; feathering (turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Turn the paddle; in canoeing

Synonyms:

feather; square

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "feather" is one way to...):

paddle (propel with a paddle)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

feather (turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cover or fit with feathers

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "feather" is one way to...):

cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

feather (the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Join tongue and groove, in carpentry

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "feather" is one way to...):

conjoin; join (make contact or come together)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

The Flat-Coated Retriever is a black or liver-colored retriever with a sleek, medium-length, thick coat with well-feathered legs, tail and chest.

(Flat-Coated Retriever, NCI Thesaurus)

But the arrow did the bird no harm; only it dropped a golden feather from its tail, and then flew away.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Your profusion makes me saving; and if you lament over him much longer, my heart will be as light as a feather.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

More complex biochemistry means more ways to make feather pigmentation.

(Colorful bird feathers offer evolutionary clues, National Science Foundation)

This work shows that the motion of flapping feathered wings was developed passively and naturally as the dinosaur ran on the ground.

(Scientific study suggests dinosaurs flapped their wings as they ran, Wikinews)

The Golden Retriever is a sturdy, well-proportioned dog with a feathered, medium-length, cream to golden-colored coat.

(Golden Retriever, NCI Thesaurus)

"What a queer smell! It's like burned feathers," observed Amy, smoothing her own pretty curls with a superior air.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

From each man's girdle hung sword or axe, according to his humor, and over the right hip there jutted out the leathern quiver with its bristle of goose, pigeon, and peacock feathers.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The limbs and body of some large, white bird, torn savagely to pieces with the feathers still on, were littered all over it.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Look, she made me this bow to my hat, and put in the feather last night.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)