Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Feathering \Feath"er*ing\, n.
   1. (Arch.) Same as {Foliation}.

   2. The act of turning the blade of the oar, as it rises from
      the water in rowing, from a vertical to a horizontal
      position. See {To feather an oar}, under {Feather}, v. t.

   3. A covering of feathers.

   {Feathering float} (Naut.), the float or paddle of a
      feathering wheel.

   {Feathering screw} (Naut.), a screw propeller, of which the
      blades may be turned so as to move edgewise through the
      water when the vessel is moving under sail alone.

   {Feathering wheel} (Naut.), a paddle wheel whose floats turn
      automatically so as to dip about perpendicularly into the
      water and leave in it the same way, avoiding beating on
      the water in the descent and lifting water in the ascent.

Feather \Feath"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Feathered}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Feathering.}]
   1. To furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a
      cap.

            An eagle had the ill hap to be struck with an arrow
            feathered from her own wing.          --L'Estrange.

   2. To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.

            A few birches and oaks still feathered the narrow
            ravines.                              --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.

   3. To render light as a feather; to give wings to.[R.]

            The Polonian story perhaps may feather some tedions
            hours.                                --Loveday.

   4. To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.

            They stuck not to say that the king cared not to
            plume his nobility and people to feather himself.
                                                  --Bacon.
      --Dryden.

   5. To tread, as a cock. --Dryden.

   {To feather one's nest}, to provide for one's self especially
      from property belonging to another, confided to one's
      care; -- an expression taken from the practice of birds
      which collect feathers for the lining of their nests.

   {To feather an oar} (Naut), to turn it when it leaves the
      water so that the blade will be horizontal and offer the
      least resistance to air while reaching for another stroke.
      

   {To tar and feather a person}, to smear him with tar and
      cover him with feathers, as a punishment or an indignity.

Source : WordNet®

feathering
     n : turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls [syn: {feather}]