Part 4215

<blockquote>I am not of that <b>feather</b> to shake off My friend when he must need me. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse.</def>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.</def>

<p><b>6.</b> <fld>(Mach. & Carp.)</fld> <def>A longitudinal strip projecting as a fin from an object, to strengthen it, or to enter a channel in another object and thereby prevent displacement sidwise but permit motion lengthwise; a spline.</def>

<p><b>7.</b> <def>A thin wedge driven between the two semicylindrical parts of a divided plug in a hole bored in a stone, to rend the stone.</def>

<i>Knight.</i>

<p><b>8.</b> <def>The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.</def>

<note>&hand; <i>Feather</i> is used adjectively or in combination, meaning <i>composed of</i>, or <i>resembling</i>, <i>a feather or feathers</i>; as, <i>feather</i> fan, <i>feather</i>-heeled, <i>feather</i> duster.</note>

<cs> <col>Feather alum</col> <fld>(Min.)</fld>, <cd>a hydrous sulphate of alumina, resulting from volcanic action, and from the decomposition of iron pyrites; -- called also <altname>halotrichite</altname>.</cd> <i>Ure.</i> -- <col>Feather bed</col>, <cd>a bed filled with feathers.</cd> -- <col>Feather driver</col>, <cd>one who prepares feathers by beating.</cd> -- <col>Feather duster</col>, <cd>a dusting brush of feathers.</cd> -- <col>Feather flower</col>, <cd>an artifical flower made of feathers, for ladies' headdresses, and other ornamental purposes.</cd> -- <col>Feather grass</col> <fld>(Bot.)</fld>, <cd>a kind of grass (<spn>Stipa pennata</spn>) which has a long feathery awn rising from one of the chaffy scales which inclose the grain.</cd> -- <col>Feather maker</col>, <cd>one who makes plumes, etc., of feathers, real or artificial.</cd> -- <col>Feather ore</col> <fld>(Min.)</fld>, <cd>a sulphide of antimony and lead, sometimes found in capillary forms and like a cobweb, but also massive. It is a variety of Jamesonite.</cd> -- <mcol><col>Feather shot</col>, &or; <col>Feathered shot</col></mcol> <fld>(Metal.)</fld>, <cd>copper granulated by pouring into cold water.</cd> <i>Raymond.</i> -- <col>Feather spray</col> <fld>(Naut.)</fld>, <cd>the spray thrown up, like pairs of feathers, by the cutwater of a fast-moving vessel.</cd> -- <col>Feather star</col>. <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <cd>See <er>Comatula</er>.</cd> -- <col>Feather weight</col>. <fld>(Racing)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <cd>Scrupulously exact weight, so that a feather would turn the scale, when a jockey is weighed or weighted.</cd> <sd>(b)</sd> <cd>The lightest weight that can be put on the back of a horse in racing.</cd> <i>Youatt.</i> <sd>(c)</sd> <cd>In wrestling, boxing, etc., a term applied to the lightest of the classes into which contestants are divided</cd>; -- in contradistinction to <contr>light weight</contr>, <contr>middle weight</contr>, and <contr>heavy weight</contr>.</cs>

<cs> <col>A feather in the cap</col> <cd>an honour, trophy, or mark of distinction.</cd> <mark>[Colloq.]</mark> -- <col>To be in full feather</col>, <cd>to be in full dress or in one's best clothes.</cd> <mark>[Collog.]</mark> -- <col>To be in high feather</col>, <cd>to be in high spirits.</cd> <mark>[Collog.]</mark> -- <col>To cut a feather</col>. <sd>(a)</sd> <fld>(Naut.)</fld> <cd>To make the water foam in moving; in allusion to the ripple which a ship throws off from her bows.</cd> <sd>(b)</sd> <cd>To make one's self conspicuous.</cd><mark>[Colloq.]</mark> -- <col>To show the white feather</col></mcol>, <cd>to betray cowardice, -- a white feather in the tail of a cock being considered an indication that he is not of the true game breed.</cd></cs>

<h1>Feather</h1> <Xpage=548>

<hw>Feath"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Feathered</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Feathering.</er>]</wordforms> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a cap.</def>

<blockquote>An eagle had the ill hap to be struck with an arrow <b>feathered</b> from her own wing. <i>L'Estrange.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.</def>

<blockquote>A few birches and oaks still <b>feathered</b> the narrow ravines. <i>Sir W. Scott.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To render light as a feather; to give wings to</def>.<mark>[R.]</mark>

<blockquote>The Polonian story perhaps may <b>feather</b> some tedions hours. <i>Loveday.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.</def>

<blockquote>They stuck not to say that the king cared not to plume his nobility and people to <b>feather</b> himself. <i>Bacon.</i></blockquote>

<i>Dryden.</i>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>To tread, as a cock.</def>

<i>Dryden.</i>

<cs><col>To feather one's nest</col>, <cd>to provide for one's self especially from property belonging to another, confided to one's care; -- an expression taken from the practice of birds which collect feathers for the lining of their nests.</cd> -- <col>To feather an oar</col> <fld>(Naut)</fld>, <cd>to turn it when it leaves the water so that the blade will be horizontal and offer the least resistance to air while reaching for another stroke.</cd> -- <col>To tar and feather a person</col>, <cd>to smear him with tar and cover him with feathers, as a punishment or an indignity.</cd></cs>

<h1>Feather</h1> <Xpage=548>

<hw>Feath"er</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To grow or form feathers; to become feathered; -- often with <i>out</i>; <as>as, the birds are <ex>feathering</ex> out</as>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To curdle when poured into another liquid, and float about in little flakes or "feathers;" as, the cream <i>feathers</i></def> <mark>[Colloq.]</mark>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To turn to a horizontal plane; -- said of oars.</def>