show the white feather

verb

To display cowardice.

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Meanings

verbshow the white feather (third-person singular simple present shows the white feather, present participle showing the white feather, simple past showed the white feather, past participle shown the white feather or (US also) showed the white feather)

present singular third person shows the white feather · participle present showing the white feather · past showed the white feather · participle past shown the white feather · US also participle past showed the white feather

  1. To display cowardice.

    You don’t want to show the white feather in front of all the kids.

    1948, Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, Cheaper By the Dozen
    1 more example

    I hope, Digory, you are not given to showing the white feather. I should be very sorry to think that anyone of our family had not enough honour and chivalry to go to the aid of-er-a lady in distress.

    1955, C. S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew

Origin

A white feather in the tail of a cock was considered an indication that he was not of the true game breed.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

show the white feather. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20the%20white%20feather

MLA

“show the white feather.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20the%20white%20feather. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “show the white feather,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20the%20white%20feather.

Source: show the white feather on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.