Meanings
verbwatch the feathers fly (third-person singular simple present watches the feathers fly, present participle watching the feathers fly, simple past and past participle watched the feathers fly)
present singular third person watches the feathers fly · participle present watching the feathers fly · participle past watched the feathers fly · past watched the feathers fly
- To observe or allow a fight or upset that results from a situation.
Origin
From the way feathers fly in all directions when chickens fight.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
watch the feathers fly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/watch%20the%20feathers%20fly
MLA
“watch the feathers fly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/watch%20the%20feathers%20fly. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “watch the feathers fly,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/watch%20the%20feathers%20fly.
Source: watch the feathers fly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.