birds of the feather flock together
Alternative form of birds of a feather flock together.
feather
UK /ˈfɛð.ə(ɹ)/ US /ˈfɛð.ɚ/
noun 5verb 5name 2
Collocations
9(noun.)
ADJ
breast, neck, tail | ostrich, peacock, etc.
downy
The pillow was filled with soft downy feathers that felt wonderfully comfortable against her skin.
VERB + FEATHER
preen
The bird spent hours preening its feathers before flying away.
fluff (out/up)
The bird fluffed up its feathers to stay warm in the cold wind.
ruffle
The bird's feathers got ruffled when the cat jumped onto the windowsill.
pluck
She carefully plucked a white feather from the pillow to show her daughter.
FEATHER + NOUN
duster, pillow
PHRASES
as light as a feather
Definitions
noun
1
A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the bodies of birds, used for flight, swimming, protection and display.
Notice, too, that the shaft is not straight, but bent so that the upper surface of the feather is convex, and the lower concave.
Big fellows they were, all of them, their barbaric headdresses and grotesquely painted faces, together with their many metal ornaments and gorgeously coloured feathers, adding to their wild, fierce appearance.
2
Long hair on the lower legs of a dog or horse, especially a draft horse, notably the Clydesdale breed. Narrowly only the rear hair.
3
One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.
4
A longitudinal strip projecting from an object to strengthen it, or to enter a channel in another object and thereby prevent displacement sideways or rotationally but permit motion lengthwise.
Near-synonym: spline
5
Kind; nature; species (from the proverbial phrase "birds of a feather").
I am not of that feather to shake off / My friend when he must need me.
verb
1
To cover or furnish with feathers; (when of an arrow) to fletch.
An Eagle had the ill Hap to be Struck with an Arrow Feather'd from her own Wing.
Olondaw had taught Hazeleye how to use her bow and arrows, and that each might know the result of his or her own shooting, he had feathered her arrow with white and his own with red. How strange are the events of this life, […]
2
To adorn, as if with feathers; to fringe.
A few birches and oaks still feathered the narrow ravines, or occupied in dwarf clusters the hollow plains of the moor.
3
To arrange in the manner or appearance of feathers.
The stylist feathered my hair.
4
To rotate the oars while they are out of the water to reduce wind resistance.
5
To streamline the blades of an aircraft's propeller by rotating them perpendicular to the axis of the propeller when the engine is shut down so that the propeller does not windmill during flight.
After striking the bird, the pilot feathered the damaged left engine’s propeller.
name
1
A surname.
2
A surname.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
noun — turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls
noun — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external co
- plume
- plumage
verb — grow feathers
verb — turn the oar, while rowing
verb — turn the paddle
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
feather in one's cap
An accomplishment; particularly one that is flaunted or boasted of.
He thinks it is quite a feather in his cap that he figured it out for himself.
birds of a feather flock together
People of similar character, background or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another; it is easier to establish friendships with people that one has a lot in common with.
So, in London, birds of a feather must flock together, willy nilly, silk hat and frock coat must go with white gloves and brown sables, peaky blinder and “choker" must associate wi
birds of a feather
People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.
c1710, Jonathan Swift, "A Conference," lines 11-12, And since we're so near, like birds of a feather, Let's e'en, as they say, set our horses together.
feather one's nest
To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth; especially, to do so to a degree that involves venality.
It may do him some harm, perhaps, but Dempster must have feathered his nest pretty well; he can afford to lose a little business.
Example Bank
601
Notice, too, that the shaft is not straight, but bent so that the upper surface of the feather is convex, and the lower concave.
Wiktionary02
Big fellows they were, all of them, their barbaric headdresses and grotesquely painted faces, together with their many metal ornaments and gorgeously coloured feathers, adding to their wild, fierce ap
Wiktionary03
Nesting birds pluck some of their own feathers to line the nest, but feather plucking in pet birds is entirely different.
Wiktionary04
An Eagle had the ill Hap to be Struck with an Arrow Feather'd from her own Wing.
Wiktionary05
Olondaw had taught Hazeleye how to use her bow and arrows, and that each might know the result of his or her own shooting, he had feathered her arrow with white and his own with red. How strange are t
Wiktionary06
She feathered her arrows in the Seneca fashion, two lengths of feather tied on with a spiral twist, so they would spin in flight. The trick was to glue both sides in place with a little sticky pine sa
WiktionaryUsage Notes
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