borrowed plumes

A showy display that is not truly one's own. I know you lied to me earlier, so quit adorning yourself with borrowed plumes and tell me what you really contributed to this event.

borrowed plumes

a pretentious display not rightly your own.

This phrase refers to the fable of the jay which dressed itself in the peacock's feathers.

See also: borrow, plume

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

See also:

adorn
adorn (oneself) with borrowed plumes
borrow
plume
plume (oneself) on (something)
plume oneself
cut a (wide) swath, to
leave a bad taste in mouth
leave a bad taste in your mouth
leave a bad/nasty taste in the/your mouth

References in classic literature

Heaven knows what gaudy sentimental parade we made in our borrowed plumes, but if the travesty had kept itself to the written word it would have been all well enough.

My Literary Passions

A great proportion of architectural ornaments are literally hollow, and a September gale would strip them off, like borrowed plumes, without injury to the substantials.

Walden & on the Duty of Civil Disobedience

Her friends repeated the pleasing phrase enthusiastically, and for several minutes she stood, like a jackdaw in the fable, enjoying her borrowed plumes, while the rest chattered like a party of magpies.

Little Women

"And then you won't know me, sir; and I shall not be your Jane Eyre any longer, but an ape in a harlequin's jacket--a jay in borrowed plumes. I would as soon see you, Mr.

Jane Eyre

"At this age, whatever one does ends up being like wearing borrowed plumes," he said.

FEATURE: Actor Kagawa to debut in Kabuki at 46, continuing in father's footsteps

Having tried out various identities in the preceding week, he had been back to the dress-up box and decided he looked best when capering about in the borrowed plumes of Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin.

Child-proof

词组	borrowed plumes
释义	borrowed plumes borrowed plumes A showy display that is not truly one's own. I know you lied to me earlier, so quit adorning yourself with borrowed plumes and tell me what you really contributed to this event. See also: borrow, plume Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. borrowed plumes a pretentious display not rightly your own. This phrase refers to the fable of the jay which dressed itself in the peacock's feathers. See also: borrow, plume Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary See also: adorn adorn (oneself) with borrowed plumes borrow plume plume (oneself) on (something) plume oneself cut a (wide) swath, to leave a bad taste in mouth leave a bad taste in your mouth leave a bad/nasty taste in the/your mouth References in classic literature Heaven knows what gaudy sentimental parade we made in our borrowed plumes, but if the travesty had kept itself to the written word it would have been all well enough. My Literary Passions A great proportion of architectural ornaments are literally hollow, and a September gale would strip them off, like borrowed plumes, without injury to the substantials. Walden & on the Duty of Civil Disobedience Her friends repeated the pleasing phrase enthusiastically, and for several minutes she stood, like a jackdaw in the fable, enjoying her borrowed plumes, while the rest chattered like a party of magpies. Little Women "And then you won't know me, sir; and I shall not be your Jane Eyre any longer, but an ape in a harlequin's jacket--a jay in borrowed plumes. I would as soon see you, Mr. Jane Eyre "At this age, whatever one does ends up being like wearing borrowed plumes," he said. FEATURE: Actor Kagawa to debut in Kabuki at 46, continuing in father's footsteps Having tried out various identities in the preceding week, he had been back to the dress-up box and decided he looked best when capering about in the borrowed plumes of Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin. Child-proof
随便看	What else is new? whatever whatever floats (one's) boat whatever floats your boat Whatever happened to (someone or something)? whatever happens, happens whatever it takes whatever (one) says goes whatever the case whatever the case is whatever the case may be whatever turns (one) on whatever turns you on whatever way you slice it what(ever) will be, will be whatever you do whatever you say what for what for? What gives? What gives with (someone or something)? what goes around comes around What goes around, comes around what goes over the devil's back comes under his belly what goes up must come down