1. n. A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the bodies of birds, used for flight, swimming, protection and display.
2. n. Long hair on the lower legs of a dog or horse, especially a draft horse, notably the Clydesdale breed. Narrowly only the rear hair.
3. n. One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.
4. n. A longitudinal strip projecting from an object to strengthen it, or to enter a channel in another object and thereby prevent displacement sideways but permit motion lengthwise; a spline.
5. n. Kind; nature; species (from the proverbial phrase "birds of a feather").
6. n. One of the two shims of the three-piece stone-splitting tool known as plug and feather or plug and feathers; the feathers are placed in a borehole and then a wedge is driven between them, causing the
7. n. The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.
8. v. To cover or furnish with feathers.
9. v. To arrange in the manner or appearance of feathers.
The stylist feathered my hair.
10. v. (ambitransitive, rowing) To rotate the oars while they are out of the water to reduce wind resistance.
11. v. (aeronautics) To streamline the blades of an aircraft's propeller by rotating them perpendicular to the axis of the propeller when the engine is shut down so that the propeller doesn't windmill as the
After striking the bird, the pilot feathered the left, damaged engine's propeller.
12. v. (carpentry, engineering) To finely shave or bevel an edge.
13. v. (computer graphics) To intergrade or blend the pixels of an image with those of a background or neighboring image.
14. v. To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.
15. v. To render light as a feather; to give wings to.
16. v. To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.
17. v. To tread, as a cock.
18. v. (snooker) To accidentally touch the cue ball with the tip of the cue when taking aim
1. n. A flattened mass of anything soft, to sit or lie on.
2. n. A cushion used as a saddle without a tree or frame.
3. n. A soft, or small, cushion.
4. n. A cushion-like thickening of the skin on the under side of the toes of animals.
5. n. The mostly hairless flesh located on the bottom of an animal's foot or paw.
6. n. Any cushion-like part of the human body, especially the ends of the fingers.
7. n. A stuffed guard or protection, especially one worn on the legs of horses to prevent bruising.
8. n. A soft bag or cushion to relieve pressure, support a part, etc.
9. n. A sanitary napkin.
10. n. (US) A floating leaf of a water lily or similar plant.
11. n. (cricket) A soft cover for a batsman's leg that protects it from damage when hit by the ball.
12. n. A kind of cushion for writing upon, or for blotting, especially one formed of many flat sheets of writing paper; now especially such a block of paper sheets as used to write on.
13. n. A panel or strip of material designed to be sensitive to pressure or touch.
14. n. A keypad.
15. n. A flat surface or area from which a helicopter or other aircraft may land or be launched.
16. n. An electrical extension cord with a multi-port socket one end: "trip cord".
17. n. The effect produced by sustained lower reed notes in a musical piece, most common in blues music.
18. n. A synthesizer instrument sound used for sustained background sounds.
19. n. (US, slang) A bed.
20. n. (colloquial) A small house, apartment, or mobile home occupied by a single person; such as a bachelor, playboy, etc.
21. n. (slang) A prison cell.
22. n. (cryptography) A random key (originally written on a disposable pad) of the same length as the plaintext.
23. n. A mousepad.
24. n. (electronics) The amount by which a signal has been reduced.
25. n. (nautical) A piece of timber fixed on a beam to fit the curve of the deck.
26. v. To stuff.
27. v. To furnish with a pad or padding.
28. v. To fill or lengthen (a story, one's importance, etc.).
The author began to pad her succinct stories with trite descriptions to keep up with current market trends.
"Obama pads delegate lead ... with win in key western state." Austin American-Statesman newspaper, May 21, 2008.
29. v. To imbue uniformly with a mordant.
to pad cloth
30. v. (transitive, cricket) To deliberately play the ball with the leg pad instead of the bat.
31. n. (UK, dialectal) A toad.
32. n. (UK, dialectal, Australia, Ireland) A footpath, particularly one unformed or unmaintained; a road or track. See footpad.
33. n. An easy-paced horse; a padnag.
34. n. (UK, obsolete) A robber that infests the road on foot; a highwayman or footpad.
35. n. The act of highway robbery.
36. n. (UK, dialectal) A type of wickerwork basket, especially as used as a measure of fish or other goods.
37. v. To travel along (a road, path etc.).
38. v. (intransitive) To travel on foot.
39. v. (intransitive) To wear a path by walking.
40. v. (intransitive) To walk softly, quietly or steadily, especially without shoes.
41. v. (intransitive, obsolete) To practise highway robbery.
42. interj. Indicating a soft flat sound, as of bare footsteps.
I heard her soft footsteps, pad, pad along the corridor.
43. n. The sound of soft footsteps, or a similar noise made by an animal etc.
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