smoothing someone's feathers

A form of smooth someone's feathers — To soothe (someone) who has had their feathers ruffled; to pacify (someone) who is upset.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of smooth someone's feathers
Cite this entry
APA

smoothing someone's feathers. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smoothing%20someone's%20feathers

MLA

“smoothing someone's feathers.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smoothing%20someone's%20feathers. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “smoothing someone's feathers,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smoothing%20someone's%20feathers.

Source: smoothing someone's feathers on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.