feather
feather — noun
1. one of the thin, lightweight structures that grow from a bird's skin and cover i
one of the thin, lightweight structures that grow from a bird's skin and cover its body — each has a long central shaft with soft strands branching out from both sides
Théo found a blue feather from a jay lying on the grass this morning.
The peacock spread its long, colourful feathers to attract a mate in the park.
countable: a bird's individual feathers
A duck's feathers keep it dry because they are coated with a thin layer of oil.
Sayaka used a soft feather as a bookmark while reading her novel last night.
The bird's feathers were ruffled by the strong wind blowing across the lake.
文法句型
feather + verb (a feather falls, feathers cover)
用法筆記
Often used in the plural (feathers) when referring to a bird's full body covering; the singular (a feather) refers to one individual structure.
常見錯誤
2. in rowing or canoeing, the action of turning the blade of an oar or paddle so th
in rowing or canoeing, the action of turning the blade of an oar or paddle so that its flat side faces the sky while the rower moves it forward between strokes, reducing wind resistance
Ryo practised the feather every time he lifted the oar out of the cold water.
Good feather helps a rower keep the boat balanced and steady between each stroke.
uncountable: 'the feather' as a technique
The coach showed the new crew how to do a clean feather with each pull of the oar.
Without proper feather, the blade catches the wind and slows the boat down.
文法句型
do a feather
practice the feather
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in the context of rowing and canoeing. Not used in everyday conversation about birds — do not confuse with sense noun/1.
feather — verb
1. to twist an oar or paddle as you lift it out of the water so that its flat face
to twist an oar or paddle as you lift it out of the water so that its flat face points upward, reducing wind resistance while you swing the blade forward into position for the next stroke
Rodrigo learned to feather the oar on his very first day of rowing practice.
Niran feathered his paddle quickly as the canoe approached the narrow rocky channel.
transitive: feather + paddle/oar as object
The entire rowing team practised how to feather together at the end of each long stroke.
If you feather the oar too early, you lose pulling power on the next stroke entirely.
Eshe watched the experienced rower feather the blade smoothly before every new pull.
- turn (the oar)
Less specific; 'feather' is the precise technical term for the 90-degree rotation
文法句型
feather + object (oar/paddle/blade)
用法筆記
The noun form of this action is 'feather' (see noun/2). In competitive rowing, the feather is an essential skill that beginners must master.
2. to attach, cover, or decorate something with actual feathers or feather-like mat
to attach, cover, or decorate something with actual feathers or feather-like material, usually for costume design, art, or traditional crafts
The costume designer feathered the dancer's headdress with bright parrot plumes.
transitive: feather object + with + material
Saira feathered her carnival mask using small blue and green feathers from the craft shop.
Traditional headpieces were feathered with eagle plumes for special ceremonies.
The child feathered her art project by gluing coloured feathers onto a paper bird shape.
Abigail feathered the edges of her dream catcher with soft white down from a pillow.
文法句型
feather + object + with (material)
be feathered with + material
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice (was feathered / were feathered) to describe how something is decorated. This sense is different from verb/4 (grow feathers), which describes a bird's natural development.
3. in carpentry and woodworking, to connect two wooden boards by cutting a raised r
in carpentry and woodworking, to connect two wooden boards by cutting a raised ridge (tongue) on the edge of one board and a matching groove on the edge of the other, so they fit together snugly
The carpenter feathered the two oak boards before applying wood glue to the joint.
transitive: feather + board(s) as object
Haruto feathered the edge of each shelf board so it locked tightly into the cabinet frame.
This old dining table was built by feathering each drawer side into the front panel.
To make the joint strong, you need to feather the tongue into the groove very precisely.
- join
General term; 'join' does not specify the tongue-and-groove method
- fit together
Describes the result without naming the technique
文法句型
feather + object (board/plank) + into/onto + object
用法筆記
A technical term used by woodworkers and carpenters. In everyday English, people usually say 'join with a tongue and groove' rather than the single verb 'feather'.
4. of a young bird: to develop and produce feathers on its body as it grows and mat
of a young bird: to develop and produce feathers on its body as it grows and matures
The baby sparrows began to feather about three weeks after they hatched.
intransitive: subject (bird) + feather
Eli watched the robin chicks feather and prepare to leave the nest for the first time.
Young eagles take much longer to feather than small garden birds do.
A parrot chick that does not feather properly may need a special diet from the vet.
The baby ducklings feathered quickly and soon began swimming on their own.
- develop feathers
A longer, more formal way to express the same idea
文法句型
subject (bird/chick) + feather
begin to feather
start feathering
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively for young birds. Not used for adult birds that are moulting and regrowing feathers — that process is called 'moulting', not 'feathering'.