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A tropical humming bird of the genus Lophornis, with very elegant neck plumes. Several species are known. See Illustration under Spangle, v. t.

The plume of feathers, or other decoration, worn on a helmet; the distinctive ornament of a helmet, indicating the rank of the weare; hence, also, the helmet. Stooping low his lofty crest. Sir W. Scott. And on his head there stood upright A crest, in token of a knight. Gower.

To trail, so as to wet or befoul; to make wet and limp; to moisten. The warrior's very plume, I say, Was daggled by the dashing spray. Sir W. Scott.

A kind of plume, now called damson. See Damson.

spended loosely; as, to dangle the feet. And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume. Sir W. Scott.

Destitute or deprived of features; deplumed.

The stripping or falling off of plumes or feathers. Bp. Stillingfleet

The name of several species of herons which bear plumes on the back. They are generally white. Among the best known species are the American egret (Ardea, or Herodias, egretta); the great egret (A. alba); the little egret (A. garzetta), of Europe; and the American snowy egret (A. candidissima). A bunch of egrets killed…

To move as with a fan. The air . . . fanned with unnumbered plumes. Milton.

To enrich; to exalt; to benefit. They stuck not to say that the king cared not to plume his nobility and people to feather himself. Bacon. Dryden.

Having the structure of a filoplume.

effort or impulse on the surface of a fluid, or through the air. They stretch their broad plumes and float upon the wind. Pope. There seems a floating whisper on the hills. Byron.

or imitating the odor of, the flower of the red jasmine, a West Indian tree of the genus Plumeria.

, but now restricted to such species as the West Indian sea fan (Gorgonia flabellum), sea plume (G. setosa), and other allied species having a flexible, horny axis.

autiful headdress, whether it be a crest, a comb, a tuft of feathers, or a natural little plume. Addison.

An accessory plume arising from the posterior side of the stem of the contour feathers of many birds; -- called also aftershaft. See Illust. of Feather.

out our drooping country's broken wing. Shak. Who lazily imp their wings with other men's plumes. Fuller. Here no frail Muse shall imp her crippled wing. Holmes. Help, ye tart satirists, to imp my rage With all the scorpions that should whip this age. Cleveland.

th a lofty or haughty gait; to be insolent; to obtrude. [Obs.] he jets under his advanced plumes! Shak. To jet upon a prince's right. Shak.

discolor), the only living type of a family allied to the rollers. It has a pair of loral plumes. The male is glossy green above, with metallic reflections; the female is spotted with brown and black.

Leptoptilos (formerly Ciconia), esp. the African species (L. crumenifer), which furnishes plumes worn as ornaments. The Asiatic species (L. dubius, or L. argala) is the adjutant. See Adjutant. [Written also marabu.]