Fledge — Fledge, a. [OE. flegge, flygge; akin to D. vlug, G. fl[ u]gge, fl[ u]cke, OHG. flucchi, Icel. fleygr, and to E. fly. [root]84. See {Fly}, v. i.] Feathered; furnished with feathers or wings; able to fly. [1913 Webster] His shoulders, fledge with… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
fledge — fledge·less; fledge; fledge·ling; … English syllables
Fledge — Fledge, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. {Fledged}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fledging}.] 1. To furnish with feathers; to supply with the feathers necessary for flight. [1913 Webster] The birds were not as yet fledged enough to shift for themselves. L Estrange.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Fledge — is the stage in a young bird s life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of raising chicks to a fully grown state by the chick s parents. A young bird that has recently fledged but is … Wikipedia
fledge — O.E. * flycge (Kentish flecge), from W.Gmc. *fluggja (Cf. M.Du. vlugge, Low Ger. flügge), from root meaning to fly (see FLY (Cf. fly) (v.)). Originally an adjective meaning having the feathers, fit to fly. As a verb, it is first attested in… … Etymology dictionary
fledge — ► VERB 1) (of a young bird) develop wing feathers that are large enough for flight. 2) bring up (a young bird) until its wing feathers are developed enough for flight. ORIGIN from Old English, «ready to fly»; related to FLY(Cf. ↑flyable) … English terms dictionary
fledge — [flej] vi. fledged, fledging [< ME flegge, ready to fly < OE (un)flycge, (un)fledged, akin to MHG vlücke, MDu vlugghe: for IE base see FLY1] to grow the feathers necessary for flying vt. 1. to rear (a young bird) until it is able to fly 2.… … English World dictionary
fledge — [16] The notion underlying fledge is the ‘ability to fly’. Historically, the idea of ‘having feathers’ is simply a secondary development of that underlying notion. The verb comes from an obsolete adjective fledge ‘feathered’, which goes back… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
fledge — verb (fledged; fledging) Etymology: fledge capable of flying, from Middle English flegge, from Old English flycge; akin to Old High German flucki capable of flying, Old English flēogan to fly more at fly Date: 1566 intransitive verb of a young… … New Collegiate Dictionary
fledge — [flɛdʒ] verb (with reference to a young bird) develop or allow to develop wing feathers that are large enough for flight. Derivatives fledged adjective Origin C16: from the obs. adjective fledge ready to fly , from OE, of Gmc origin; related to… … English new terms dictionary
