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 (Zoˆl.), 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. RavennÊ from the
Mediterranean region. The name is sometimes extended to the whole
genus. -- Plume moth (Zoˆl.), any one of numerous small, slender moths,
belonging to the family PterophoridÊ. 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.
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.