feather-footedadj.
a. Having feet covered with feathers.
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the world > animals > birds > parts of or bird defined by > [adjective] > of feet > having feathered feet
rough-footed1495
feather-footed1580
row-foot1896
1580 C. Hollyband Treasurie French Tong Coulon, or pigeon Pattu, fether-footed doues or pigeons.
1868 C. Darwin Variation Animals & Plants I. viii. 295 There is a feather-footed breed.
b. figurative. Moving silently and swiftly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > inaudibility > [adjective] > silent > of footsteps
feather-footed1565
woollen1597
cat-footed1598
soft-footed1603
woolly1631
still-footed1894
the world > movement > progressive motion > walking > [adjective] > having specific manner of walking > light-footed
lightOE
light-footeda1425
lightfoot1440
feather-footed1565
tripping1567
nimble-footed1592
soft-foot1598
light-heeled1600
soft-footed1603
soft-footed1607
nimble-heeled1656
quick-foot1658
feather-heeleda1674
tickle-heeled1740
nimble-stepping1832
tripsome1846
twinkle-toed1960
1565 A. Golding tr. Ovid Fyrst Fower Bks. Metamorphosis ii. f. 2v He bade the fetherfooted howres [L. velocibus..Horis] go harnesse in his horse.
1637 T. Heywood Dial. iii, in Wks. (1874) VI. 137 Swift feather-footed Time.
1731 A. Hill Advice to Poets xxiii Fancy's light Dwarfs! whose feather-footed Strains, Dance..through a Waste of Brains!
1797 A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl III. i. 8 The feather footed Rosa..darted along the paddock.
1845 P. J. Bailey Festus (ed. 2) 230 Soft as a featherfooted cloud on Heaven.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1565