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A hen; -- so called from the ruffing of her neck feathers. "Dame Partlett, the hen." Shak.

r garden of a larger edifice, or united with other parts, and forming an angle or central feature of a large pile.

To acquire sharpness of figure or features; hence, to look thin or sicky. "Dwindle, peak, and pine." Shak.

Having features thin or sharp, as from sickness; hence, sickly. [Colloq.]

claw having a serrate edge, found in some birds, and supposed to be used in cleaning the feathers.

Having no peer or equal; matchless; superlative. "Her peerless feature." Shak. Unvailed her peerless light. Milton. --Peer"less*ly, adv. -- Peer"less*ness, n.

A feather. [Obs.] Spenser.

of the construction. There are imitations in plaster and wood, which are mere decorative features. "[A bridge] with . . . pendants graven fair." Spenser.

for its elegant pendulous purselike nest, made of the down of willow trees and lined with feathers.

Any bird of the order Impennes, or Ptilopteri. They are covered with short, thick feathers, almost scalelike on the wings, which are without true quills. They are unable to fly, but use their wings to aid in diving, in which they are very expert. See King penguin, under Jackass.

A perfect, or normal, feather.

Like or pertaining to a normal feather.

A bunch of feathers; a plume. [Obs.] Holland.

Feathery covering; plumage. [Obs.] Holland.

ne of numerous species of Pennatula, Pteroides, and allied genera of Alcyonaria, having a featherlike form; a sea-pen. The zooids are situated along one edge of the side branches.

Having the form of a feather or plume.

Bearing feathers or quills.

To destroy; to defeat. [R.] Ayliffe.

A quashing; a defeating. [Obs.]

ormed or accomplished; a thing done or carried through; an achievement; a deed; an act; a feat; esp., an action of an elaborate or public character. "Her walking and other actual performances." Shak. "His musical performances." Macaulay.