feather one's nest: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  Globalidiomaticinformal
  • To enrich oneself, especially by taking advantage of opportunities or by means that are selfish or venal.

  Examples

  Beta

  • The corrupt official tried to feather his nest by accepting bribes from contractors.

    El funcionario corrupto intentó enriquecerse aprovechándose de sobornos de contratistas.

  • She was accused of feathering her nest at the expense of the company’s shareholders.

    La acusaron de enriquecerse a costa de los accionistas de la empresa.

  • Many politicians have been known to feather their nests using public funds for personal gain.

    Muchos políticos son conocidos por enriquecerse usando fondos públicos para beneficio personal.

• 2.

  Globalliteralneutral
  • To line or furnish one’s nest with feathers; used in its literal sense of arranging bedding for a nest.

  Examples

  Beta

  • The mother bird was busy feathering her nest with soft materials to keep the eggs warm.

    La madre pájaro estaba ocupada forrando su nido con materiales suaves para mantener los huevos calientes.

  • Each spring, the robin spends hours feathering its nest to prepare for the new chicks.

    Cada primavera, el petirrojo pasa horas forrando su nido para preparar a los nuevos polluelos.

  • We watched the bird carefully feathering its nest, adding twigs and feathers layer by layer.

    Observamos al pájaro forrando cuidadosamente su nido, añadiendo ramitas y plumas capa por capa.

  • The feathering of the nest is an essential part of the bird’s reproductive cycle.

    Forrar el nido es una parte esencial del ciclo reproductivo del pájaro.