Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Plume \Plume\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plumed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Pluming}.] [Cf. F. plumer to pluck, to strip, L. plumare to
   cover with feathers.]
   1. To pick and adjust the plumes or feathers of; to dress or
      prink.

            Pluming her wings among the breezy bowers. --W.
                                                  Irving.

   2. To strip of feathers; to pluck; to strip; to pillage;
      also, to peel. [Obs.] --Bacon. Dryden.

   3. To adorn with feathers or plumes. ``Farewell the plumed
      troop.'' --Shak.

   4. To pride; to vaunt; to boast; -- used reflexively; as, he
      plumes himself on his skill. --South.

   {Plumed adder} (Zo["o]l.), an African viper ({Vipera, or
      Clotho cornuta}), having a plumelike structure over each
      eye. It is venomous, and is related to the African puff
      adder. Called also {horned viper} and {hornsman}.

   {Plumed partridge} (Zo["o]l.), the California mountain quail
      ({Oreortyx pictus}). See {Mountain quail}, under
      {Mountain}.

Plume \Plume\, n. [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. {Fly}, v.]
   1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long,
      conspicuous, or handsome feather.

            Wings . . . of many a colored plume.  --Milton.

   2. (Zo["o]l.) An ornamental tuft of feathers.

   3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a
      waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling
      feathers.

            His high plume, that nodded o'er his head. --Dryden.

   4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides
      himself; a prize or reward. ``Ambitious to win from me
      some plume.'' --Milton.

   5. (Bot.) A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence
      resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large
      ornamental grasses.

   {Plume bird} (Zo["o]l.), any bird that yields ornamental
      plumes, especially the species of Epimarchus from New
      Guinea, and some of the herons and egrets, as the white
      heron of Florida ({Ardea candidissima}).

   {Plume grass}. (Bot)
      (a) A kind of grass ({Erianthus saccharoides}) with the
          spikelets arranged in great silky plumes, growing in
          swamps in the Southern United States.
      (b) The still finer {E. Ravenn[ae]} from the Mediterranean
          region. The name is sometimes extended to the whole
          genus.

   {Plume moth} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous small, slender
      moths, belonging to the family {Pterophorid[ae]}. Most of
      them have the wings deeply divided into two or more
      plumelike lobes. Some species are injurious to the
      grapevine.

   {Plume nutmeg} (Bot.), an aromatic Australian tree
      ({Atherosperma moschata}), whose numerous carpels are
      tipped with long plumose persistent styles.

Source : WordNet®

plume
     v 1: rip off; ask an unreasonable price [syn: {overcharge}, {soak},
           {surcharge}, {gazump}, {fleece}, {pluck}, {rob}, {hook}]
          [ant: {undercharge}]
     2: be proud of; "He prides himself on making it into law
        school" [syn: {pride}, {congratulate}]
     3: deck with a plume; "a plumed helmet"
     4: clean with one's bill; "The birds preened" [syn: {preen}]
     5: form a plume; "The chimneys were pluming the sky"; "The
        engine was pluming black smoke"
     6: dress or groom with elaborate care; "She likes to dress when
        going to the opera" [syn: {preen}, {primp}, {dress}]

plume
     n 1: a feather or cluster of feathers worn as an ornament
     2: the light horny waterproof structure forming the external
        covering of birds [syn: {feather}, {plumage}]