Plume

Plume
Plume Plume, n. [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. {Fly}, v.] [1913 Webster] 1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long, conspicuous, or handsome feather. [1913 Webster]

Wings . . . of many a colored plume. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. (Zo["o]l.) An ornamental tuft of feathers. [1913 Webster]

3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling feathers. [1913 Webster]

His high plume, that nodded o'er his head. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides himself; a prize or reward. ``Ambitious to win from me some plume.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

5. (Bot.) A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses. [1913 Webster]

{Plume bird} (Zo["o]l.), any bird that yields ornamental plumes, especially the species of Epimarchus from New Guinea, and some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of Florida ({Ardea candidissima}).

{Plume grass}. (Bot) (a) A kind of grass ({Erianthus saccharoides}) with the spikelets arranged in great silky plumes, growing in swamps in the Southern United States. (b) The still finer {Erianthus Ravenn[ae]} from the Mediterranean region. The name is sometimes extended to the whole genus.

{Plume moth} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous small, slender moths, belonging to the family {Pterophorid[ae]}. Most of them have the wings deeply divided into two or more plumelike lobes. Some species are injurious to the grapevine.

{Plume nutmeg} (Bot.), an aromatic Australian tree ({Atherosperma moschata}), whose numerous carpels are tipped with long plumose persistent styles. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • plume — PLUME. s. f. Ce qui couvre les oiseaux, & sert à les soustenir en l air. La menuë plume des oiseaux s appelle duvet. arracher les plumes de l aile, de le queuë d un oiseau. cet oiseau muë, toute sa plume tombe. un lit de plume. des plumes de coq …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Plume ! — Plume ! Contexte général Champs d’action Vulgarisation scientifique à vocation multimédia et multidisciplinaire Fiche d’identité Fondation 2006 Siège central …   Wikipédia en Français

  • plume — Plume, C est toute plume de volatille, combien que aucuns veulent appeler Penne, celle qui est de gros tuyau, et Plume celle qui l est de court et gresle, et Duvet, la plus menuë molle et flouete. Les anciens François par ce mot, Plume,… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Plume — may refer to:In fashion: * A prominent bird feather often used as an ornament ** Hackle, an ornamental plume on a uniform headdress In literature: * Plume (publishing), an American book publishing company * Plumes , a 1924 novel by Laurence… …   Wikipedia

  • plume — [plo͞om] n. [OFr < L pluma, downy part of a feather, small soft feather < IE base * pleus , to pluck out, fluff of wool, hair > FLEECE] 1. a) a feather, esp. a large, fluffy, or showy one b) a cluster of such feathers 2. an ornament made …   English World dictionary

  • Plume — (engl. urspr. „Helmbusch“) steht für: senkrechte Ströme heißen Materials aus dem tiefen Erdmantel, die sich aufgrund der Mantelkonvektion einstellen; siehe Plume (Geologie) aufsteigende Gasmassen in der Atmosphäre eines Planeten in der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Plume — Plume, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plumed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pluming}.] [Cf. F. plumer to pluck, to strip, L. plumare to cover with feathers.] 1. To pick and adjust the plumes or feathers of; to dress or prink. [1913 Webster] Pluming her wings among the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • plume — late 14c., a feather (especially a large and conspicuous one), from O.Fr. plume, from L. pluma feather, down, from PIE root *pleus to pluck, a feather, fleece (Cf. O.E. fleos fleece ). Meaning a long streamer of smoke, etc. is first attested 1878 …   Etymology dictionary

  • plume — ► NOUN 1) a long, soft feather or arrangement of feathers. 2) a long spreading cloud of smoke or vapour. 3) Geology a column of magma rising by convection in the earth s mantle. ► VERB 1) (plumed) decorated with feathers. 2) (of smoke or vapour)… …   English terms dictionary

  • Plume — (plüm), frz., Feder; p.au (–moh), Federkissen; P.t (–mäh), Hutfeder; plumage (–mahsch), Federbusch; plumos, befiedert; mit federartigen Haaren besetzt …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

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