Meaning of smooth someone's feathers | Babel Free

Definitions

To soothe (someone) who has had their feathers ruffled; to pacify (someone) who is upset.

Examples

“L'Estrange bowed and offered his arm, while Mr Millis smoothed his ruffled feathers, and went back to the other young men , — smoothed his feathers, because it would never have answered to let others see that Mr Millis had got the worst of an encounter of any kind.”

“She's mad at me for letting you go; so you help me smooth her feathers tonight.”

“Subsequently, Leslie's two wives smoothed his feathers, deferred to him, bolstered him, allowed him to “say exactly what he thought, however inconvenient, and do exactly what he liked” (page 110).”

CEFR level