feather
gb/fˈɛðɚ/ us/fˈɛðɚ/
A2
English
~ 2000
toll, vitorlába állít, elmos, eldolgoz, lágyít
NOUN
A2
1
toll
A1
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] feather
The peacock's tail is covered in colorful feathers.
A páva farkát színes tollak borítják.
A small feather drifted down from the bird's wing.
Egy kis toll lebegve hullott le a madár szárnyáról.
She found a feather on the forest path.
The eagle's feathers are strong yet lightweight.
Learner examples
The bird has blue feathers.
A madárnak kék tollai vannak.
I saw a feather on the ground.
Láttam egy madártollat a földön.
This feather is very soft.
The chicken lost a small feather.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'feather' with 'fur' or 'hair', but 'feathers' are only on birds.
Meaning
A bird's body covering part
Collocations
white feather
|loose feather
|feather pillow
|feather pattern
|feather coat
Synonyms
plume (Often refers to a large or decorative feather, especially for display.)
Antonyms
fur (Refers to the soft hair covering mammals, not birds.)
Themes
nature
|animals
|biology
Definition
A light, soft part that grows from a bird's skin and covers its body.
One of the light, flat structures growing from a bird's skin, forming its outer covering and aiding in flight or insulation.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
to feather [propeller/blades]
The pilot had to feather the propeller after the engine failed.
A pilótának vitorlába kellett állítania a légcsavart, miután a motor meghibásodott.
Feathering the blades reduced drag and helped maintain control.
A lapátok vitorlába állítása csökkentette a légellenállást, és segített fenntartani a gép irányíthatóságát.
In case of engine trouble, remember to feather quickly.
Learner examples
The pilot will feather the propeller.
A pilóta vitorlába fogja állítani a légcsavart.
They feathered the blades after the engine stopped.
Vitorlába állították a lapátokat, miután a motor leállt.
He knows how to feather in an emergency.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with literal feathers from birds; in aviation, it is a technical action involving propellers.
Meaning
Turn propeller blades to reduce drag
Collocations
feather the propeller
|propeller feathering system
|engine feathering
Synonyms
adjust (General term for changing position; not specific to aviation.)
Antonyms
unfeather (Technical opposite — to return blades to their normal operating position.)
Themes
aviation
|technology
|travel
|transportation
Definition
To turn the blades of a plane's propeller so that they face the wind and slow the plane less when the engine stops.
To rotate the blades of an aircraft propeller so that they are parallel to the airflow, minimizing drag, usually after engine failure.
VERB
B2
3
Usage pattern:
to feather [edge/line] into [surface/color]
The artist feathered the paint into the background.
A művész finoman összedolgozta a festéket a háttérrel.
Use this tool to feather the photo edges for a softer look.
Használd ezt az eszközt a fotó széleinek lágyítására, hogy lágyabb legyen a hatás.
She feathered the makeup around her eyes.
Learner examples
Feather the color into the wall.
Finoman dolgozd el a színt a falon.
He will feather the edges of the photo.
Lágyítani fogja a fotó széleit.
I can feather this line so it is soft.
Common mistake:
Learners may think it means adding bird feathers; here it means smoothing or blending edges in art/design.
Meaning
Blend or smooth edges
Collocations
feather the edges
|feather into background
|feather brush tool
Synonyms
blend (General term for mixing smoothly; 'feather' often used in visual or tactile contexts.)
Antonyms
sharpen (To make an edge more defined, the opposite of blending or softening.)
Themes
art
|design
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make the edge of something soft and smooth so it mixes into another area without a hard line.
To make the edge of something blend gradually into another surface or color so that no sharp boundary is visible.
Grammar
Dictionary form
feather
IPA
GB/fˈɛðɚ/
US/fˈɛðɚ/
Syllables & stress
feath - er (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (feath)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: feather
- Plural: feathers
Verb
- Base: feather
- 3rd Person Singular: feathers
- Present Participle: feathering
- Past: feathered
Word family
Forms
feathers
noun
feathering
verb
feathered
verb
Core family
feathery
adjective
Related words
down
noun A1
quill
noun
Negative and opposite forms
featherless
adjective
Expressions
birds of a feather (flock together)
1/bˈɚdz əv ə fˈɛðɚ flˈɑk təɡˈɛðɚ/
idiom
Similar people stay together
People who are alike often spend time together.
Examples
- Those two are always together—birds of a feather!
- Birds of a feather flock together, as they say.
feather one's nest
1/fˈɛðɚ wˈʌnz nˈɛst/
idiom
Gain personal profit dishonestly
To get money or benefit for yourself, often in a dishonest way, while working or having power.
Examples
- The corrupt official was accused of feathering his own nest.
- He spent years feathering his nest at the company's expense.
light as a feather
1/lˈaɪt ˈæz ə fˈɛðɚ/
idiom
Extremely light in weight
Very, very light; almost no weight.
Examples
- This scarf is light as a feather.
- The baby bird felt light as a feather in her hands.
ruffle someone's feathers
1/ɹˈʌfəl sˈʌmwˌʌnz fˈɛðɚz/
idiom
informal
Annoy or upset someone slightly
To do something that makes someone feel annoyed or upset.
Examples
- His comments really ruffled her feathers.
- Try not to ruffle anyone's feathers during the meeting.
white feather
1/wˈaɪt fˈɛðɚ/
fixed phrase
Symbol of cowardice (UK historical)
A white feather given as a sign that someone is a coward, especially in British history during wartime.
Examples
- In World War I, some women gave white feathers to young men not in uniform.
- Receiving a white feather was considered an insult.