fledge
- to bring up (a young bird) until it is able to fly.
- to furnish with or as if with feathers or plumage.
- to provide (an arrow) with feathers.
- (of a young bird) to acquire the feathers necessary for flight.
- Archaic. (of young birds) able to fly.
Origin of fledge
Examples from the Web for fledge
Historical Examples of fledge
I again took it up, and he continued, 'James, Byron hits the mark where I don't even pretend to fledge my arrow.'
Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Volume V (of 10)John Gibson Lockhart
The Emperor of France is said to be interested in the art of flying and to have given money to fledge some inventions.
And look here, Fledge, why do William's toes turn out at such a fearful angle?
The HaloBettina von Hutten
But will and means, In mortals, for the cause ye well discern, With unlike wings are fledge.
The Vision of Paradise, CompleteDante Alighieri
At that tyme my cat got a fledge yong sparrow which had onely a right wyng naturally.
fledge
- (tr) to feed and care for (a young bird) until it is able to fly
- Also called: fletch (tr) to fit (something, esp an arrow) with a feather or feathers
- (intr) (of a young bird) to grow feathers
- (tr) to cover or adorn with or as if with feathers
Word Origin for fledge
Word Origin and History for fledge
Old English *-flycge (Kentish -flecge),an adjective meaning "having the feathers, fit to fly," from West Germanic *fluggja- (cf. Middle Dutch vlugge, Low German flügge), from root meaning "to fly" (see fly (v.)). As a verb, it is first attested in English 1560s. Related: Fledged; fledging.