A feather in your cap

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Meaning

A mark of honor or success, something to boast.

Origin

From 16th-century Europe, tied to hunts; feathers marked kills, as in a 1590s ballad of a feathered cap. Native American and knightly plumes fed it, slang by 1600s for pride.

Usage Examples

  • That win's a feather in your cap; well done!
  • She earned a feather in her cap with that deal.
  • A feather in his cap; top of the class.

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