subs. (colloquial).—1. Kind; species; company; cf., BIRDS OF A FEATHER. For synonyms, see KIDNEY.
1608. DEKKER, The Belman of London, in wks. (GROSART), III., 140. And he delivers it either to a Broker or some Bawd (for they all are of one FEATHER).
1609. SHAKESPEARE, Timon of Athens, i. 1.
| I am not of that FEATHER to shake off | |
| My friend when he must need me. |
3. (venery).—The female pubic hair (PRIOR and T. MOORE). For synonyms, see FLEECE.
IN FULL FEATHER, adv. phr. (colloquial).—1. Rich.—[See sense 2.]
1871. E. WOOD, Dene Hollow, ch. xxx. And now things went on swimmingly. Captain Clanwaring, IN FEATHER as to cash, at least temporarily, was the gayest of the gay.
1886. Graphic, 30 Jan., p. 130, col. 2. On these generally convivial occasions, Watty, by reason of his office [butler], was of course always IN FULL FEATHER.
2. (colloquial).—In full costume; ‘with all one’s war paint on.’
IN HIGH or FULL FEATHER, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Elated; brilliant; conspicuous.
1852. H. B. STOWE, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, ch. viii. Sam was in the HIGHEST POSSIBLE FEATHER, and expressed his exultation by all sorts of supernatural howls and ejaculations.
1856. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, pt. II., ch. iv. Martin leads the way IN HIGH FEATHER; it is quite a new sensation to him, getting companions, and he finds it very pleasant, and means to show them all manner of proofs of his science and skill.
TO FEATHER ONE’S NEST, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To amass money; specifically to enrich oneself by indirect pickings and emoluments. [From birds collecting feathers (see also sense 2) to line their nests.]
1590. GREENE, Francesco’s Fortunes, in wks., viii., 138. She sees thou hast FETHRED THY NEST, & hast crowns in thy purse.
1662. PEPYS, Diary, 7 June. Mr. Coventry had already FEATHERED HIS NEST in selling of places.
1700. CONGREVE, The Way of the World, Act v., Sc. 1. You have forgot this, have you, now you have FEATHER’D YOUR NEST.
1705. VANBRUGH, The Confederacy, I., ii., 25 (1734). If I don’t FEATHER MY NEST, and get a good husband, I deserve to die.
1858. G. ELIOT, Janet’s Repentance, ch. xiii. Dempster must have FEATHERED HIS NEST pretty well; he can afford to lose a little business.
TO FEATHER AN OAR, verb. phr. (aquatics).—In rowing, to turn the blade horizontally, with the upper edge pointing aft, as it leaves the water, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the air upon it.
1774. DIBDIN, The Waterman, i. 5, ‘The Jolly Young Waterman.’
| And he FEATHER’D HIS OARS with such skill and dexterity, | |
| Winning each heart, and delighting each eye. |
Whence HIGH or LOW IN THE FEATHER.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 5. The Swells in HIGH FEATHER.
1878. A. LANG, Ballad of the Boat-race.
| They catch the stroke and they slog it through, | |
| With Cambridge heavy and LOW IN THE FEATHER, | |
| The standing sin of the fair Light Blue. |
TO SHOW THE WHITE FEATHER, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To turn cur; to prove oneself a coward. [Among game cocks a cross-bred bird is known by a white feather in the tail. Of old the breed was strictly preserved in England, for though birds of all descriptions were reared in the farm-yard, special care was taken that game fowls did not mix with them; but this would occasionally happen, and while the game birds were only red and black, white feathers would naturally appear when there was any cross. The slightest impurity of strain was said to destroy the bird’s courage, and the half-breeds were never trained for the pit. It became an adage that any cock would fight on his own dunghill, but it must be one without a white feather to fight in the pit.]
1842. The Comic Almanack, p. 306. Precluding the possibility of anyone, at any time, SHOWING A WHITE FEATHER.
