feather
gb/fˈɛðɚ/ us/fˈɛðɚ/
A2
Inglese
~ 2000
Accezioni
0 accezioni
Sostantivo
A2
entity
1
A bird's body covering part
A light, soft part that grows from a bird's skin and covers its body.
Schema d'uso:
a [adjective] feather
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes confuse 'feather' with 'fur' or 'hair', but 'feathers' are only on birds.
Sinonimi
plume (Often refers to a large or decorative feather, especially for display.)
Contrari
fur (Refers to the soft hair covering mammals, not birds.)
Collocazioni
white feather
|loose feather
|feather pillow
|feather pattern
|feather coat
Temi
nature
|animals
|biology
Esempi
- The peacock's tail is covered in colorful feathers.
- A small feather drifted down from the bird's wing.
- She found a feather on the forest path.
- The eagle's feathers are strong yet lightweight.
Esempi per chi studia
- The bird has blue feathers.
- I saw a feather on the ground.
- This feather is very soft.
- The chicken lost a small feather.
Verbo
technical
C1
action
2
Turn propeller blades to reduce drag
To turn the blades of a plane's propeller so that they face the wind and slow the plane less when the engine stops.
Schema d'uso:
to feather [propeller/blades]
Errore comune:
Learners may confuse this with literal feathers from birds; in aviation, it is a technical action involving propellers.
Sinonimi
adjust (General term for changing position; not specific to aviation.)
Contrari
unfeather (Technical opposite — to return blades to their normal operating position.)
Collocazioni
feather the propeller
|propeller feathering system
|engine feathering
Temi
aviation
|technology
|travel
|transportation
Esempi
- The pilot had to feather the propeller after the engine failed.
- Feathering the blades reduced drag and helped maintain control.
- In case of engine trouble, remember to feather quickly.
Esempi per chi studia
- The pilot will feather the propeller.
- They feathered the blades after the engine stopped.
- He knows how to feather in an emergency.
Verbo
B2
action
3
Blend or smooth edges
To make the edge of something soft and smooth so it mixes into another area without a hard line.
Schema d'uso:
to feather [edge/line] into [surface/color]
Errore comune:
Learners may think it means adding bird feathers; here it means smoothing or blending edges in art/design.
Sinonimi
blend (General term for mixing smoothly; 'feather' often used in visual or tactile contexts.)
Contrari
sharpen (To make an edge more defined, the opposite of blending or softening.)
Collocazioni
feather the edges
|feather into background
|feather brush tool
Temi
art
|design
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Esempi
- The artist feathered the paint into the background.
- Use this tool to feather the photo edges for a softer look.
- She feathered the makeup around her eyes.
Esempi per chi studia
- Feather the color into the wall.
- He will feather the edges of the photo.
- I can feather this line so it is soft.
Grammatica
Forma base
feather
IPA
GB/fˈɛðɚ/
US/fˈɛðɚ/
Sillabe e accento
feath - er (2 sillabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (feath)
Forme flesse
Noun
- Base: feather
- Plural: feathers
Verb
- Base: feather
- 3rd Person Singular: feathers
- Present Participle: feathering
- Past: feathered
Famiglia di parole
Forms
feathers
noun
feathering
verb
feathered
verb
Core family
feathery
adjective
Related words
down
noun A1
quill
noun
Negative and opposite forms
featherless
adjective
Espressioni
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.
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi
- In World War I, some women gave white feathers to young men not in uniform.
- Receiving a white feather was considered an insult.