How many of you remember the TV personality that used the phrase"How sweet it is"? That is off the subject,but I was compelled to ask. I woke before dawn to the birds and their busy chattering,as I was convincing myself that I might as well get up I started thinking about all the bird/feather sayings. The first that came to mind was "feather your nest". The meaning of that phrase is fairly obvious and was once thought of as a good thing to do (feathering your nest,that is),but over time it has changed to mean someone selfish that only looks after themselves. The morbid side of my brain made me think of Jeffery Dahmer decorating his home with items made of human skin...but there's no accounting for the side trips my mind takes and I don't think the birds are up to anything nefarious. Then there is the phrase "feather in your cap" which denotes a level of achievement,but on the flip side of the coin the word feather can mean something trivial. So,in conclusion,the word feather can be every bit as confounding in its many English meanings as the rest of the language!
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