What does it Mean to ‘Feather one’s Nest’?

To feather your nest is to make yourself rich by taking advantage of your position; to make yourself comfortable at the expense of others.

This phrase refers to the way some birds use feathers — either their own or of another bird — to line the interior of their nest to make it more comfortable.

Let’s see an example —

“The Prime Minister sacked his secretary last week. He was found feathering his own nest out of public funds.”

The prime minister fired his secretary because he was found enriching or profiting himself from the public funds.

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Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.