'Feather duster' definitions:

Definition of 'Feather duster'

From: GCIDE

Feather \Feath"er\ (f[e^][th]"[~e]r), n. [OE. fether, AS. fe[eth]er; akin to D. veder, OHG. fedara, G. feder, Icel. fj["o][eth]r, Sw. fj[aum]der, Dan. fj[ae]der, Gr. ptero`n wing, feather, pe`tesqai to fly, Skr. pattra wing, feather, pat to fly, and prob. to L. penna feather, wing. [root]76,
248. Cf. Pen a feather.]
1. One of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds, belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down. [1913 Webster]
Note: An ordinary feather consists of the quill or hollow basal part of the stem; the shaft or rachis, forming the upper, solid part of the stem; the vanes or webs, implanted on the rachis and consisting of a series of slender lamin[ae] or barbs, which usually bear barbules, which in turn usually bear barbicels and interlocking hooks by which they are fastened together. See Down, Quill, Plumage.
2. Kind; nature; species; -- from the proverbial phrase, "Birds of a feather," that is, of the same species. [R.] [1913 Webster]
I am not of that feather to shake off My friend when he must need me. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
3. The fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs. [1913 Webster]
4. A tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse. [1913 Webster]
5. One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow. [1913 Webster]
6. (Mach. & Carp.) A longitudinal strip projecting as a fin from an object, to strengthen it, or to enter a channel in another object and thereby prevent displacement sidwise but permit motion lengthwise; a spline. [1913 Webster]
7. A thin wedge driven between the two semicylindrical parts of a divided plug in a hole bored in a stone, to rend the stone. --Knight. [1913 Webster]
8. The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water. [1913 Webster]
Note: Feather is used adjectively or in combination, meaning composed of, or resembling, a feather or feathers; as, feather fan, feather-heeled, feather duster. [1913 Webster]
Feather alum (Min.), a hydrous sulphate of alumina, resulting from volcanic action, and from the decomposition of iron pyrites; -- called also halotrichite. --Ure.
Feather bed, a bed filled with feathers.
Feather driver, one who prepares feathers by beating.
Feather duster, a dusting brush of feathers.
Feather flower, an artifical flower made of feathers, for ladies' headdresses, and other ornamental purposes.
Feather grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Stipa pennata) which has a long feathery awn rising from one of the chaffy scales which inclose the grain.
Feather maker, one who makes plumes, etc., of feathers, real or artificial.
Feather ore (Min.), a sulphide of antimony and lead, sometimes found in capillary forms and like a cobweb, but also massive. It is a variety of Jamesonite.
Feather shot, or Feathered shot (Metal.), copper granulated by pouring into cold water. --Raymond.
Feather spray (Naut.), the spray thrown up, like pairs of feathers, by the cutwater of a fast-moving vessel.
Feather star. (Zool.) See Comatula.
Feather weight. (Racing) (a) Scrupulously exact weight, so that a feather would turn the scale, when a jockey is weighed or weighted. (b) The lightest weight that can be put on the back of a horse in racing. --Youatt. (c) In wrestling, boxing, etc., a term applied to the lightest of the classes into which contestants are divided; -- in contradistinction to light weight, middle weight, and heavy weight.
A feather in the cap an honour, trophy, or mark of distinction. [Colloq.]
To be in full feather, to be in full dress or in one's best clothes. [Collog.]
To be in high feather, to be in high spirits. [Collog.]
To cut a feather. (a) (Naut.) To make the water foam in moving; in allusion to the ripple which a ship throws off from her bows. (b) To make one's self conspicuous. [Colloq.]
To show the white feather, to betray cowardice, -- a white feather in the tail of a cock being considered an indication that he is not of the true game breed. [1913 Webster]