white feathern.

Brit.

/ˌwʌɪt ˈfɛðə/, U.S.

/ˌ(h)waɪt ˈfɛðər/

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: white adj., feather n.

Etymology: < white adj. + feather n.

1. A white feather as a symbol of cowardice. Chiefly in figurative phrases, as to mount (also show) the white feather: to surrender in a cowardly way. Also in to find (also have) a white feather in one's tail (also wing).With allusion to the fact that a white feather in a game bird's tail was considered a mark of inferior breeding. During the First World War (1914–18) women presented unenlisted men with white feathers in order to reproach them for not fighting.

ΚΠ

1785 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue White feather, he has a white feather, he is a coward, an allusion to a game cock, where having a white feather, is a proof he is not of the true game breed.

1816 W. Scott Black Dwarf ix, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. I. 180 ‘He has a white feather in his wing..,’ said Simon of Hackburn, somewhat scandalized by his ready surrender.

c1825 Village Dialogue Bull-baiting: Pt. 2 (Houlston Tracts, No. 28) xxvii. 4 I've long guess'd..that we should find a white feather in thy tail.

1829 W. Scott Jrnl. 15 Apr. (1946) 52 No one will defend him who shows the white feather.

1856 C. Reade It is never too Late I. xvi. 319 You..tempt a poor broken sick creature to mount the white feather.

1915 H. R. Haggard Holy Flower xv. 265 As a witch-doctor of repute, he felt that it did not become him to show the white feather in the presence of an evil spirit.

2000 Evening Standard (Nexis) 2 Oct. 43 The French government, ever willing to show the white feather, has been cutting taxes to appease anyone who takes to the streets.

†2. A coward. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [noun] > coward(s)

coward?a1289

hen-hearta1450

staniel?a1500

pigeon?1571

cow1581

quake-breech1584

cow-baby1594

custard1598

chicken heart1602

nidget1605

hen?1613

faintling1614

white-liver1614

chickena1616

quake-buttocka1627

skitterbrooka1652

dunghill1761

cow-heart1768

shy-cock1768

fugie1777

slag1788

man of chaff1799

fainter1826

possum1833

cowardy, cowardy, custard1836

sheep1840

white feather1857

funk1859

funkstick1860

lily-liver1860

faint-heart1870

willy boy1895

blert1905

squib1908

fraid cat (also fraidy cat)c1910–23

manso1912

feartie1923

yellowbelly1927

chicken liver1930

boneless wonder1931

scaredy-cat1933

sook1933

pantywaist1935

punk1939

ringtail1941

chickenshit1945

candy-ass1953

pansy-ass1963

unbrave1981

bottler1994

1857 G. Borrow Romany Rye II. xii. 186 Jack is a gentleman,..whilst 'tother, though bred a lord, is a screw, and a whitefeather.

Derivatives

white-ˈfeatherism n. now rare cowardice.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [noun]

arghtha1250

arghshipc1275

faintise1297

cowardicec1300

cowardshipc1330

arghness1340

arghhoodc1350

sheepnessc1380

pusillanimitya1393

cowardnessa1400

neshnessa1400

cowardyc1405

lithernessc1425

lashness1477

cowardrya1547

meagreness?1553

cowardliness1556

micropsychy1651

buzzardism1659

stanielry1659

manlessness1667

cow-heartedness1718

pusillanimousness1727

chicken-heartedness1808

infortitude1813

plucklessness1824

white-featherism1843

cold feet1893

yellow1893

liver-heartedness1897

yellowness1909

1843 G. P. R. James Commissioner iv. 39 In order that he might show as little white featherism as possible.

1870 W. Bollaert Wars Succession I. xii. 201 Brave military men who had been falsely accused of ‘white-featherism’.

1909 Leather Workers' Jrnl. Nov. 139/2 It is a good answer, for it is as full of determination as theirs is of weak-kneed white featherism.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

单词	white feather
释义	white feathern. Brit. /ˌwʌɪt ˈfɛðə/, U.S. /ˌ(h)waɪt ˈfɛðər/ Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: white adj., feather n. Etymology: < white adj. + feather n. 1. A white feather as a symbol of cowardice. Chiefly in figurative phrases, as to mount (also show) the white feather: to surrender in a cowardly way. Also in to find (also have) a white feather in one's tail (also wing).With allusion to the fact that a white feather in a game bird's tail was considered a mark of inferior breeding. During the First World War (1914–18) women presented unenlisted men with white feathers in order to reproach them for not fighting. ΚΠ 1785 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue White feather, he has a white feather, he is a coward, an allusion to a game cock, where having a white feather, is a proof he is not of the true game breed. 1816 W. Scott Black Dwarf ix, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. I. 180 ‘He has a white feather in his wing..,’ said Simon of Hackburn, somewhat scandalized by his ready surrender. c1825 Village Dialogue Bull-baiting: Pt. 2 (Houlston Tracts, No. 28) xxvii. 4 I've long guess'd..that we should find a white feather in thy tail. 1829 W. Scott Jrnl. 15 Apr. (1946) 52 No one will defend him who shows the white feather. 1856 C. Reade It is never too Late I. xvi. 319 You..tempt a poor broken sick creature to mount the white feather. 1915 H. R. Haggard Holy Flower xv. 265 As a witch-doctor of repute, he felt that it did not become him to show the white feather in the presence of an evil spirit. 2000 Evening Standard (Nexis) 2 Oct. 43 The French government, ever willing to show the white feather, has been cutting taxes to appease anyone who takes to the streets. †2. A coward. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [noun] > coward(s) coward?a1289 hen-hearta1450 staniel?a1500 pigeon?1571 cow1581 quake-breech1584 cow-baby1594 custard1598 chicken heart1602 nidget1605 hen?1613 faintling1614 white-liver1614 chickena1616 quake-buttocka1627 skitterbrooka1652 dunghill1761 cow-heart1768 shy-cock1768 fugie1777 slag1788 man of chaff1799 fainter1826 possum1833 cowardy, cowardy, custard1836 sheep1840 white feather1857 funk1859 funkstick1860 lily-liver1860 faint-heart1870 willy boy1895 blert1905 squib1908 fraid cat (also fraidy cat)c1910–23 manso1912 feartie1923 yellowbelly1927 chicken liver1930 boneless wonder1931 scaredy-cat1933 sook1933 pantywaist1935 punk1939 ringtail1941 chickenshit1945 candy-ass1953 pansy-ass1963 unbrave1981 bottler1994 1857 G. Borrow Romany Rye II. xii. 186 Jack is a gentleman,..whilst 'tother, though bred a lord, is a screw, and a whitefeather. Derivatives white-ˈfeatherism n. now rare cowardice. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [noun] arghtha1250 arghshipc1275 faintise1297 cowardicec1300 cowardshipc1330 arghness1340 arghhoodc1350 sheepnessc1380 pusillanimitya1393 cowardnessa1400 neshnessa1400 cowardyc1405 lithernessc1425 lashness1477 cowardrya1547 meagreness?1553 cowardliness1556 micropsychy1651 buzzardism1659 stanielry1659 manlessness1667 cow-heartedness1718 pusillanimousness1727 chicken-heartedness1808 infortitude1813 plucklessness1824 white-featherism1843 cold feet1893 yellow1893 liver-heartedness1897 yellowness1909 1843 G. P. R. James Commissioner iv. 39 In order that he might show as little white featherism as possible. 1870 W. Bollaert Wars Succession I. xii. 201 Brave military men who had been falsely accused of ‘white-featherism’. 1909 Leather Workers' Jrnl. Nov. 139/2 It is a good answer, for it is as full of determination as theirs is of weak-kneed white featherism. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < n.1785
随便看	θ213701 θ213703 θ213704 θ213705 θ213706 θ213707 θ213708 θ213709 θ21371 θ213710 θ213711 θ213712 θ213713 θ213714 θ213715 θ213716 θ213717 θ213718 θ213719 θ21372 θ213720 θ213721 θ213722 θ213723 θ213724