a. [f. FEATHER sb. + -LESS.] Without feathers, in various senses.
c. 1400. Beryn, 1764. To shete a fethirles bolt.
1483. Cath. Angl., 124/2. Fedyrles or with owtyn feders, inplumis.
c. 1510. Barclay, The Mirrour of Good Manners (1570), F iv.
| Hanging in sowre windes, blowing from north and west, | |
| And unkindly serued, such birde loseth her songe, | |
| But yonge fetherlesse foules streyght taken from the nest, | |
| Nought knowing of pleasure, may more suffer of wronge. |
1590. W. Vallans, A Tale of two Swannes.
| A haunted ducke … | |
| Was taken up all fetherlesse and bare. |
1640. Howell, Dendrologia, Rhenusium, 74. That featherlesse bird, which went about to begge plumes of other birds to cover his nakednesse.
1658. Cleveland, Rustic Rampant, Wks. (1687), 407. Some with Bows and featherless Arrows.
a. 1845. Hood, To to Dr. Hahnemann, iv.
| When lo! there comes a man in green and red, | |
| A featherless cocked-hat adorns his head. |
1850. Lyell, 2nd Visit U. S., II. 223. Plato’s definition of a man, ‘bipes implume,’ ‘a featherless biped.’
Hence Featherlessness, the state of being without feathers.
1727. in Bailey, vol. II.
