fledge

American  

[flej] / flɛdʒ /

verb (used with object)

fledged, fledging

1. to bring up (a young bird) until it is able to fly.

2. to furnish with or as if with feathers or plumage.

3. to provide (an arrow) with feathers.

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verb (used without object)

fledged, fledging

1. (of a young bird) to acquire the feathers necessary for flight.

adjective

1. Archaic. (of young birds) able to fly.

fledge British  

/ flɛdʒ /

verb

1. (tr) to feed and care for (a young bird) until it is able to fly

2. Also called: fletch.  (tr) to fit (something, esp an arrow) with a feather or feathers

3. (intr) (of a young bird) to grow feathers

4. (tr) to cover or adorn with or as if with feathers

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Other Word Forms

• fledgeless adjective

Etymology

Origin of fledge

1350–1400; Middle English flegge (fully-)fledged, Old English *flecge, as variant of -flycge; cognate with Old High German flucki, Middle Low German vlügge (> German flügge ); akin to fly ²

Example Sentences

Both types of weather can reduce body mass at fledging by as much as 3%.

From Science Daily

It takes six or seven months for condors to fledge, or take their first flight from the nest.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, one reporter insisted on the superior knowledge of the fledging Commander Kane, “nothing had been left undone.”

From Literature

Australia was a British colony for more than 100 years and gained de facto independence in 1901, but has never become a fully fledged republic.

From Barron's

The remaining siblings — sisters Gizmo and Sunny — survived, and successfully fledged.

From Los Angeles Times