Phrase guide

feather one's nest

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth; especially, to do so to a degree that involves venality.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: line one's pockets, look out for number one

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: enrich

2

verb

Meaning 2

enrich oneself by taking advantage of one's position

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The congressmen feathered his nest through his connection with big business

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: enrich

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: оплитам си кошницата (oplitam si košnicata) — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Finnish: täyttää taskujaan — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Icelandic: skara eld að eigin köku — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Icelandic: skara eld að sinni köku — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Icelandic: ota sínum tota — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Polish: mościć sobie gniazdko — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Russian: нагре́ть ру́ки (nagrétʹ rúki) — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Russian: наби́ть карма́ны (nabítʹ karmány) — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Spanish: hacer su agosto — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Walloon: s' ecråxhî les doets — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones
  • Welsh: pluo ei nyth — to achieve benefits, especially financial ones