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E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Feather in Your Cap.
That’s a feather in your cap. An honour to you. The allusion is to the very general custom in Asia and among the American Indians of adding a new feather to their head-gear for every enemy slain. The Caufirs of Cabul stick a feather in their turban for every Mussulman slain by them. The Incas and Caciques, the Meunitarris and Mandans (of America), the Abyssinians and Tur’comans, etc, etc., follow the same custom. So did the ancient Lycians, and many others. In Scotland and Wales it is still customary for the sportsman who kills the first woodcock to pluck out a feather and stick it in his cap. In fact, the custom, in one form or another, seems to be almost universal. 1
When “Chinese” Gordon quelled the Taïping rebellion he was honoured by the Chinese Government with the “yellow jacket and peacock’s feather.” 2
In Hungary, at one time, none might wear a feather but he who had slain a Turk. (Lansdowne MS. 775, folio 149.)
The white feather ref. was used on this side of the pond:
Lucy Maude Montgomery used it in one of the Anne of Green Gables books.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted feather merchant saxton 03/15/00 07:52 PM Re: feather merchant Longwell 03/15/00 08:27 PM Re: feather merchant of troy 10/22/01 12:22 PM Re: feather merchant of troy 10/22/01 12:23 PM Re: feather merchant maverick 10/22/01 01:16 PM Re: feather merchant wwh 10/22/01 06:31 PM Post deleted by Wordwind Wordwind 10/22/01 09:25 PM Post deleted by Wordwind Wordwind 10/22/01 11:33 PM Re: Horsefeathers wwh 10/23/01 12:10 AM Post deleted by Wordwind Wordwind 10/21/01 08:45 PM Re: Defeat her wwh 10/21/01 09:03 PM Re: Defeat her Keiva 10/21/01 11:25 PM Re: Defeat her doc_comfort 10/22/01 06:33 AM Post deleted by Wordwind Wordwind 10/22/01 11:10 AM Re: Reeds on a Roman Helmet? Jackie 10/22/01 03:02 PM feathers, feathers, feathers Sparteye 10/22/01 05:46 PM
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