white feather

American  

noun

Chiefly British.

1. a symbol of cowardice.

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idioms

1. show the white feather, to behave in a cowardly manner.

white feather British  

noun

1. a symbol or mark of cowardice

2. to act in a cowardly manner

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white feather More Idioms  

1. see show the white feather.

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Etymology

Origin of white feather

First recorded in 1775–85; originally from a white feather in a gamecock's tail, taken as a sign of inferior breeding and hence of poor fighting qualities

Example Sentences

Its fluffy coating of white feathers was flattened with salt spray, making it look—and smell— convincingly like a large white seabird, or the remains of one.

From Literature

The red paprika dusted over white feathers had turned them a most unchickenlike shade of pink.

From Literature

"My friend's little girl came running up to me and said, 'Look what's landed on me' and a white feather had landed on her, so I just felt like he was here on the day."

From BBC

Like Gizmo, this eagle had a dark tail with hardly any white feathers, said Sandy Steers, executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley.

From Los Angeles Times

I didn’t know what to do, so I noticed the weird details: a cardinal outside his window and the way his hair sat on his head like white feathers.

From Los Angeles Times