| 释义 |
white feather
In phr. to show the white feather, etc.: see feather n. 1 b. Hence white-feather, one who ‘shows the white feather’, a coward; white-feathered a., lit. having white feathers; fig. ‘showing the white feather’, cowardly; white-featherism (nonce-wd.), cowardice.
1785Grose Dict. Vulgar T., *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. 1805Sporting Mag. XXVI. 56 According to the boxing phrase, shewed the white feather. 1816Scott Bl. Dwarf ix, ‘He has a white feather in his wing’,..said Simon,..somewhat scandalized by his ready surrender. 1825–[see feather n. 1 b].
1857Borrow Rom. Rye xliii, Jack is a gentleman,..whilst t'other, though bred a lord, is a screw, and a *whitefeather.
1816Sporting Mag. XLVIII. 4 He was one of the *white-feathered sort. 1854Poultry Chron. I. 49 All white-feathered poultry are tender, save Aylesbury ducks.
1843[James] Commissioner iv. 39 That he might show as little *white featherism as possible. |