plume oneself

Idioms  

1. Congratulate oneself, boast, as in He plumed himself on his victory. This idiom transfers the bird's habit of dressing its feathers to human self-satisfaction. [First half of 1600s]

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Example Sentences

To plume oneself comes nearest to it; but the word cannot be given, even by equivalents, in English; nor can it be naturalised, because, in fact, we have not the feeling.

From Tales and Novels — Volume 10 by Edgeworth, Maria

It was impossible not to plume oneself a little on the whole, but the feeling was a superficial one, with deeper and uneasier feelings underneath.

From No Hero by Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William)