Search the Dictionary

d, or on the head, to stun or kill by a blow upon the head; hence, to put am end to; to defeat, as a scheme or project; to frustrate; to quash. [Colloq.] -- To knock off. (a) To force off by a blow or by beating. (b) To assign to a bidder at an auction, by a blow on the counter. (c) To leave off (work, etc.). [Colloq.]…

A thin plate or scale; specif., one of the thin, flat processes composing the vane of a feather.

A peculiar fatlike body, made up of cholesterin and certain fatty acids, found in feathers, hair, wool, and keratin tissues generally.

unicata, including Appendicularia, and allied genera; -- so called because certain larval features are retained by them through life. Called also Copelata. See Appendicularia.

er, twenty dickers; of pitch and tar, fourteen barrels; of wool, twelve sacks; of flax or feathers, 1,700 lbs.

, a prize fighter, boxer, wrestler, or jockey, who is below a standard medium weight. Cf. Feather weight, under Feather. [Cant] -- To make light of, to treat as of little consequence; to slight; to disregard. -- To set light by, to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of no importance; to despise.

-- often with in and the particulars of the resemblance; as, they are like each other in features, complexion, and many traits of character. 'The as like you As cherry is to cherry. Shak. Like master, like man. Old Prov. He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. Ps. cxlvii. 16.…

A determining feature; a distinguishing characteristic a differentia.

Lineament; feature; figure. "The lines of my boy's face." Shak.

One of the outlines, exterior features, or distinctive marks, of a body or figure, particularly of the face; feature; form; mark; - - usually in the plural. "The lineaments of the body." Locke. "Lineaments in the character." Swift. Man he seems In all his lineaments. Milton.

n full summer plumage, is chestnut brown above, with the breast more or less crimson. The feathers of its head are grayish brown, tipped with crimson. Called also gray linnet, red linnet, rose linnet, brown linnet, lintie, lintwhite, gorse thatcher, linnet finch, and greater redpoll. The American redpoll linnet (Acanth…

a cell for holding living objects under microscopical examination. P. H. Gosse. -- Live feathers, feathers which have been plucked from the living bird, and are therefore stronger and more elastic. -- Live gang. (Sawing) See under Gang. -- Live grass (Bot.), a grass of the genus Eragrostis. -- Live load (Engin.),…

Of or pertaining to the lore; -- said of certain feathers of birds, scales of reptiles, etc.

To suffer loss, disadvantage, or defeat; to be worse off, esp. as the result of any kind of contest. We 'll . . . hear poor rogues Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too, Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out. Shak.

one of numerous small mandibulate insects, mostly parasitic on birds, and feeding on the feathers. They are known as Mallophaga, or bird lice, though some occur on the hair of mammals. They are usually regarded as degraded Pseudoneuroptera. See Mallophaga.

Australian birds of the genus Menura. The male is remarkable for having the sixteen tail feathers very long and, when spread, arranged in the form of a lyre. The common lyre bird (Menura superba), inhabiting New South Wales, is about the size of a grouse. Its general color is brown, with rufous color on the throat, wi…

An extensive group of insects which are parasitic on birds and mammals, and feed on the feathers and hair; -- called also bird lice. See Bird louse, under Bird.

also marlin spike] -- Marline-spike bird. Etym: [The name alludes to the long middle tail feathers.] (Zoöl.)

A masterly operation; a feat. [Obs.] I will do a maistrie ere I go. Chaucer.

ision with; to confront in conflict; to encounter hostilely; as, they met the enemy and defeated them; the ship met opposing winds and currents.