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to feather

to feather

4 3.7
To grow feathers, as young birds do
  • verb
  • /ˈfɛðər/
: emplumar
  • After applying the blush, she gently feathered it along her cheekbones for a natural look.

Examples

  • I'm just going to like feather this in.

  • This is by Nabla, the pointed crease, and I just kind of feathered it right on the outer corner here.

  • Just feather it in, feather it out.

  • I'm actually just going to feather my lip line.

  • So I'm just going to take some of that product and focus it right here where I have my scars, and then I'll feather it to the rest of my face.

  • She carefully feathered the edge of the canvas to blend the colors smoothly.

  • The artist decided to feather the paint around the corners to create a soft transition.

Synonyms

to fledge
vsto feather
  • Specialized
1 7.1

Grow feathers needed to fly

is broader, including also putting covering onto objects by hand
to flight
vsto feather
  • Archaic
9.4

To put feathers on an arrow to help it fly straight

is about natural growth as well as covering objects

Idioms

People who share similar interests often spend time together

To be so surprised that you almost cannot react

in full feather
  • Archaic
1 9.2

Wearing bright feathers or the best clothes and looking proud

6.3

An achievement you can be proud of

8.3

Use a job or position to get money for yourself in a dishonest way

Phrasal Verbs

to tar-and-feather
  • Offensive
8 9.9

Cover someone with hot sticky tar and then feathers to punish and shame them publicly

Compounds

8 2.4

A feather that grows on a bird's tail

5 3.9

A soft mattress filled with feathers to keep you warm while sleeping

4 4.4

A long fluffy scarf made of feathers worn to look glamorous or to finish a costume

1 3.2

A very soft feather under a bird's outer feathers that keeps the bird warm

flight feather
  • Specialized
1 4.5

A large stiff feather on a bird's wing or tail that helps it fly

feather star
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A sea animal with many feathery arms that can swim and lives on the sea floor

primary feather
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A long part of a bird's wing at the outer edge that helps the bird fly

white feather
  • Offensive
1 9.5

A small white piece from a bird that people give to show someone is a coward

A tall garden grass with feathery flower spikes used for decoration

feather-brain
  • Offensive
1 9.1

A person who often forgets things and acts silly

1 6.6

A palm tree with long leaves divided into many thin parts like a bird's wing

A long stiff part of a bird's wing once used for writing

A long curved tail feather on a rooster that looks decorative

contour feather
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A feather that covers a bird's body and forms its smooth outer shape

1 9.9

A small water plant with thin leaves that look like feathers

1 9.9

A coral that grows in feathery groups on warm ocean reefs

8.5

A silly idea that shows little thought

9.9

A small round cactus with white feathery spines from northern Mexico

A small plant with a pleasant smell, oak-shaped leaves, and groups of yellow-green flowers

9.9

A plant with tall spikes of small purple flowers that attract butterflies

9.9

A New Zealand fern with divided leaves and very hairy stalks

A yearly garden plant with long hanging red flower spikes

A tall garden plant with long colorful flower spikes

saddle feather
  • Specialized
8.9

A long narrow feather on the back of a chicken near its tail

How Feathered

to fly
816 1.0
to fledge
  • Specialized
1 7.1
to feather
4 3.7
to hatch
63 1.8

Surface Forms

feather infinitive
feathered past
feathered past participle
feathering present participle
feathers third person singular

Etymology

The verb feather comes from the same old word feðer and simply means 'to grow feathers' or become covered with them, as when chicks get their bird covering.