white feather
Americannoun
idioms
noun
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a symbol or mark of cowardice
-
to act in a cowardly manner
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"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 ● Sep. 7, 2025
In the final scene of “Forrest Gump,” a white feather dances from Forrest’s feet, into the air, representing one of the movie’s major threads: Are life’s joys and agonies predestined, or are they indiscriminate?
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025
After the Oscars, just two days before his surprise retirement announcement, Roach put Ann Demeulemeester in a tiny white feather top for the Vanity Fair afterparty and worked with several others on Hollywood’s big night.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 22, 2023
A voluminous white feather headpiece looked like a wild, windswept shrub.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 20, 2020
He knew she was back to her old self when she picked out a blue hat with a white feather tucked into the band.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
