feathering 
5. In the aquatint process, the application of 
strong acid to the plate, to bite in dark touches. 
See aquatint. 
feathering-screw (feTH'er-ing-skro), n. y<mt., 
a screw-propeller whose blades are so arranged 
as to be adjustable to a variable pitch, so that 
they may be set to stand parallel with the shaft, 
and thus offer little or no resistance when the 
ship is moving under sail alone. 
feathering- wheel (feTH'er-ing-hwel), . A 
paddle-wheel in which the floats are so con- 
structed and arranged as to enter and leave the 
water edgewise, or as nearly so as possible. 
feather-joint (feTH'er-joint), . In carp., a 
joint between boards consisting of a fin or fea- 
ther fitting into opposite mortises on the edges 
of the boards. E. H. Knight. See feather-edged. 
and cut under joint. 
featherless (feTH'er-les), a. [= D. vederloos = 
Dan. fjederlos = Sw. fjaderlos, featherless: < 
Jeather + -less. Cf . AS. fitherleds, wingless, < 
fithere, wing (see feather), + -leas, E. -less.] 
Without feathers ; unfledged. 
That .featherless bird which went about to beg plumes 
of other birds to cover his nakedness. 
Umcell, Vocall Forrest. 
featherlet (feTH'er-let), . [< feather + -let.] 
A small feather. 
The episodes and digressions fringe (the story) like so 
many featherlets. Southey, The Doctor, Pref. 
featherlyt (fe<PH'er-li), a. [< feather + -M.] 
Resembling feathers ; feathery. 
Some J 'eatherly particles of snow. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., ii. 1. 
feather-makert (fe<PH'er-ma"ker), n. A maker 
of plumes of real or artificial feathers. 
Appoint the feather-maker not to fayle 
To plume my head with his best estridge tail. 
Rowland, Spy-Knaves. 
feather-mant (feTH'er-man), . A maker of 
plumes ; a dealer in plumes. 
Where is my fashioner, my featherman, 
My linener, perfumer, barber, all? 
B. Jomon, Staple of News, v. 1. 
feather-moss (feTH'er-mos), . See moss. 
feather-ore (f eTH'er-or), . A capillary variety 
of jamesonite. 
feather-pated (feTH'er-pa'ted), a. Same as 
feather-brained. 
The feather-pated, giddy madmen, . . . who must be 
toying with follies, when such business was in hand. 
Scott, Ivanhoe, II. 195. 
feather-poke (feTH'er-pok), . The long-tailed 
titmouse or bottle-tit, Acredula rosea : so called 
from its baggy nest lined with feathers. Also 
poke-bag, poke-pudding, and pudding-bag. 
feather-shot, feathered-shot (fera'er-, feTH'- 
erd-shot), n. Copper in the form which it as- 
sumes when it is poured in a molten condition 
into cold water. 
feather-spray (fe*H'er-spra), n. The foamy 
ripple or feathery spray produced by the cut- 
water of a fast vessel, as a steamer. 
feather-spring (feTH'er-spring), n. The sear 
spring of a gun-lock. E. H. Knight. 
feather-star (f OTH' er-stiir), n. A common name 
of the sea-lilies or crinoids of the family Coma- 
ttilida! (which see), such as the Comatula (or An- 
tedon) rosaeea : so called from the feathery ap- 
pearance and radiate structure. 
Some kinds of crinoids, as the rosy feather-star of the 
European coast, have a stem in the young state 
Pop. Set. Mo., XIII. 3-24. 
feather-stitch (fera'er-stich), n. A stitch used 
in embroidery, producing a partial imitation of 
leathers by small branches or filaments that 
ramify from a main stem. In medieval em- 
broidery it was called opus plumarium. 
feathertop (f eTH'er-top), n. The popular name 
of several grasses with a soft, wavy panicle, of 
the genera Ayrostis and Arundo. 
feathertop-grass (feTH'er-top-gras), n. The 
Calamagrostis Kpigejos, a European species. 
feather-veined (feTH'er-vand), a. In bot., hav- 
ing a series of veins branching from each side 
of the midrib of the leaf toward the margin; 
pinnately veined. 
2165 
But the thoroughbred hunter, except tutfeather-weinliis 
must be characterised by fine breeding and plenty of bone 
a union, it must fairly be admitted, which one may often 
lio far to Hud. Edinburgh Ree., CLXVI. 408. 
The light was with kid gloves. . . . The men are known 
in the UDfflun of the prize-ring, as featlier-mi</hti. Co- 
born weighed one hundred and twelve pounds, and Bnin- 
iion was two pounds lighter. 
Philadelphia Times, March 17, 1886. 
3. A frivolous or flippant person ; one of slight 
ability, influence, or importance. 
Burghley and Walsingham, the great Queen herself 
were nul feather-weights, like the frivolous Henry III. ' 
Motley, United Netherlands, I. 813. 
febrifuge 
Quiet, dispassionate, and cold, 
And other than bis form of creed, 
With obiHll'd/xXurM clear and sleek. 
Tennyson, Character. 
4. The conformation or appearance of any part 
of a thing ; a distinct or characteristic part of 
anything : as, the principal features of a treaty. 
The strongly marked features of tile ground called up 
all the circumstances, which the soldiers had gathered 
from tradition. Preacott, Ferd. and Isa., ii. 7. 
League after league of plain was traversed, no new fea- 
tures being seen. O'Donomn, Merv, xv 
featherwing(feTH'er-vying),H. A plume-moth; 
a moth of the family Aluoitidte or Pteropliori- 
d(e. See cut under plume-moth. 
feather-work (feTH'er-werk), . A kind of 
fancy work produced by sewing feathers upon 
a stiff textile fabric or similar material, the 
feathers usually covering the foundation com- feature (fe'tur), v. t. ; pret. and pp. featured 
pletely. They are sometimes arranged in imitations of """ *-*'-- r ' *- -* - 
flowers, butterflies, etc., and sometimes in conventional 
patterns. 
feathery (feTH'er-i), a. l< feather + -yi.] 1. 
Clothed or covered with feathers. 
The passion for gladiators was the worst, while religious 
liberty was probably the best, feature of the old Pagan 
Lecky, Europ. Morals, II. 38. 
These western towers became afterwards in France the 
most important features of the external architecture of 
J. Fergusson, Hist. Arch., I. 514. 
The attempt at reconciling science and religion is a sig- 
nificant feature of our time. Alcott, Table-Talk, p. 108. 
feature (fe'tur), v. t. ; pret. and pp. featured, 
ppr. featuring. [< feature, n.] To have fea- 
tures resembling; look like; favor. [Colloq.] 
Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock 
Count the night-watches to Us feathery dames. 
lUilton, Comus, 1. 347. 
2. Resembling feathers ; light ; airy ; unsub- 
stantial : as, the feathery spray ; feathery clouds. 
Feathery and light stuff, that hath no good substance 
n it. n . Whately, Redemption of Time (1634), p. 26. 
3. Inbot., same as plumose : applied to an awn 
or a bristle that is bordered with fine, soft hairs 
Also feathered. 
featish (fe'tish), a. [A dial. var. of featous 
ME. fetis.] Same as feaft. 
featly (fet'li), adv. [< ME. feetly, fetely, fetly ; 
< feat? + -lyZ.] In a feat manner ; neatly ; nim- 
bly; dexterously; adroitly. 
Cast oute squylle, and dense it feetly wel. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 169. 
Foot it featly here and there ; 
And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear. 
Shak., Tempest, i. 2 (song). 
He saw a quire of ladies in a round, 
That featly footing seem'd to skim the ground. 
Dryden, Wife of Bath, 1. 216. 
featness (fet'nes), . The quality of being feat ; 
dexterity; adroitness; nimbleness. 
featoust (f e'tus), a. [< ME. fetows, another form 
offetis, feat: see feafl, fetise.] Neat; clever; 
nimble. 
Ye thinke it flue and featous. 
Drant, Three Sermons, 1584. (Halliiee.ll.) 
featouslyt (fe'tus-li), adv. Neatly; nimbly 
cleverly. 
They gathered flowers to fill their flasket 
And with fine fingers cropt full feateously 
The tender stalkes on hye. 
Spenser, Prothalamiou, 1. 27. 
The morrice rings, while hobby-horse doth foot fea- 
tously. Beau, and Fl., Knight of Burning Pestle. 
feature (fe'tur), . [< ME. feture, fetour, < OF. 
faiture = Sp. hechura = Pg.feitnra,factura = It. 
fattura, fashion, make, < L. factura, a making, 
formation, < facere, pp. facius, make : see fact' 
and/eaJl, and cf. facture, a doublet of feature.] 
If. Make; formation; form; shape: usually 
with reference to the physical frame. 
Veins going directly to the margin, and forming feather- 
Muud leaves (Oak and Chestnut). Encyc. Brit., IV. 110. 
feather-weight (feTH'er-wat), n. 1. In racing, 
the lightest weight allowed by the rules to be 
earned by a horse in a handicap. 2. In sport- 
mg, a boxer, etc., whose weight falls within the 
lowest of the divisions prescribed by the rules 
-heavy-weight, middle-weight, light-weight, 
and feather-weight; hence, a very light weight 
or a person of very light weight. 
God quickened in the sea, and in the rivers 
So many fishes of so many features. 
Du Bartas (trans.), quoted in Walton's Complete Angler, 
[P. 45. 
And Heaven did well, in such a lovely feature 
To place so chaste a mind. 
Beau, and Fl., Knight of Malta, iii. 2. 
He shall bring together every joynt and member, and 
shall mould them into an immortall feature of loveliness 
and perfection. Milton, Areopagitica, p. 43. 
2f. A concrete form or appearance ; an appa- 
rition. 
Stay, all our charms do nothing win 
Upon the night; our labour dies ! 
Our magick feature will not rise. 
B. Jonson, Masque of Queens. 
Here they speake as if they were creating some new 
feature which the devil persuades them to be able to do 
often, by the pronouncing of words, and pouring out of 
liquors on the earth. B. Jonsm, Masque of Queens, note. 
3. The form or cast of any part of the face 
any single lineament; in the plural, the face or 
countenance, considered with reference to all 
its parts. 
What is become of that beautiful! face, 
Ibose lonely lookes, that faliour amiable 
Those sweete/eadwes, and visage full of grace 
I'hat countenance which is alonly able 
To kill and cure? 
Ptittenhnm, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 179. 
Mrs. Vincy . . . was much comforted by her perception 
that two at least of Fred's boys were real Vincvs and did 
not feature the Garths. 
George Eliot, Middli-march. Finale. 
featured (fe'turd), a. 1. Having a certain 
make or shape ; formed ; fashioned. 
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope 
Featured like him. Shak., Sonnets, xxix. 
2. Having features; exhibiting human features; 
having a certain cast of features. 
The well-stained canvas or the featured stone. 
Young, Night Thoughts, ix. 70. 
She's well-featured, it it were not for her nose. 
S. O. Jewett, Deephaveu, p. 35. 
featureless (fe'tur-les), a. [< feature + -less.] 
Having no distinct features ; shapeless. 
Let those whom Nature hath not made for store, 
Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish. 
Shak., Sonnets, xi. 
featureliness (fe'tur-li-nes), . The quality of 
being featurely or handsome. Coleridge. 
featurely (fe'tur-li), a. [< feature + -Zyi.] 
Having comely features ; handsome. 
Featurely warriors of Christian chivalry. Coleridge. 
feaugest, . See the extract. 
Many that were abroad, through weaknesse were sub- 
ject to be suddenly surprized with a disease called the 
Feauges, which was neither paiue nor sicknesse, but as it 
were the highest degree of weaknesse. 
Capt. John Smith, Generall Historic (1632), p. 180. 
feaze, . and . See feeze. 
Feb. An abbreviation of February. 
feblet, a. and v. See feeble. 
feblesset, . [ME. feblesse, fyeblesse, feblesce, < 
OF. feblesce, flebesce, F. faiblesse = Pr. febleza 
= It. fievolezza, feebleness, < OF. feble, etc., fee- 
ble: see feeble.] Feebleness ; weakness. Chau- 
cer. 
febricula (f e-brik'u-la), . [L. : see febricule. ] 
A slight and short fever, especially when of ob- 
scure causation. 
febricule (feb'ri-kul), n. [< L. febricula, a 
slight fever, dim. of febris, fever: see feveri 1 
Same as febricula. 
"He has spoiled the quiet of my morning," thought he 
I shall be nervous all day, and have a febricule when I 
digest. Let me compose myself." 
S. L. Stevenson, Treasure of Franchard. 
febriculose (ff-brik'a-los), a. [< L. febriatlo- 
sus, sick of a fever, < febricula, a slight fever : 
see febricule.] Feverish. Bailey, 1727. 
febnculosity (fe-brik-u-los'i-ti), n. ^febricu- 
lose + -it;/.] Feverishness." Bailey, 1727 
febrifacient (feb-ri-fa'shent), a. and n. [< L. 
febris, a fever, + f adenitis, ppr. of facere, 
make.] I. . Producing fever. 
II. n. That which produces fever, 
febriferous (fe-brif'e-rus), a. [< L. febris, a 
fever, + ferre, = E. fearl, + -ous.] Producing 
fever: as, a febriferous locality . 
febriflc (fe-brif 'ik), a. [< L. febris, a fever, + 
-ficus, < facere, make.] Producing fever; fe- 
verish. 
Thefcbrijic humour fell into my legs. Chesterfield. 
febrifugal (fe-brif'u-gal or feb'ri-fu-gal), a. [< 
febrifuge + -al.] Mitigating or expelling fever. 
As In the formerly mentioned instance of hops cur- 
rants, and salt, neither any of the ingredients inwardly 
given nor the mixture hath been . . . noted for any fe- 
brifugal virtues. Boyle, Works, II. 158. 
It is certain that its [cinchona bark's] value as a tonic 
and febrifugal medicine can scarcely be overrated. 
A. O. F. Eliot James, Indian Industries, p. 49. 
febrifuge (feb'ri-fuj), a. and n. [= F. febrifuge 
= Sp. fi'bi-ifui/o = Pg. fcbrifugn = It.febbrifugo, 
