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Plumage is all the feathers on a bird, thought of as one coat, not as single feathers. We use it when we care about the look of the whole bird — bright plumage, winter plumage, breeding plumage (the special coat some birds grow when they are ready to find a mate).
Plumage羽衣（也就是全身的羽毛） is all the feathers on a bird指的是一隻鳥全身所有的羽毛, thought of as one coat把它們當成一整件外衣來看, not as single feathers而不是一根一根單獨的羽毛。We use it when we care about the look of the whole bird當我們在意整隻鳥看起來怎麼樣時會用這個字 — bright plumage, winter plumage, breeding plumage例如鮮豔的羽衣、冬羽、繁殖羽 (the special coat some birds grow when they are ready to find a mate)也就是有些鳥準備求偶時長出來的特殊羽衣。
A ’s plumage is the famous fan; a ’s plumage is plain brown. Scientists and nature writers use the word more than everyday people, who often just say feathers.
A peacock's plumage is the famous fan孔雀的羽衣就是那把有名的扇子; a sparrow's plumage is plain brown麻雀的羽衣則是樸素的棕色。Scientists and nature writers use the word more than everyday people科學家和自然作家比一般人更常用這個字, who often just say feathers一般人通常就直接說 feathers（羽毛）。
You would not normally call one fallen feather plumage. Though actually, the word is about the set, and about how that set looks, more than about the stuff itself.
You would not normally call one fallen feather plumage你通常不會把一根掉下來的羽毛叫做 plumage。Though actually其實, the word is about the set這個字講的是「整套」, and about how that set looks還有這整套看起來怎麼樣, more than about the stuff itself而不是那個東西本身的材質。
原始詞典資料5 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
plumagenoun/ˈpluːmɪd͡ʒ/
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biologynatural-sciencesornithologyThe feathers covering the body of a bird collectively.
- Very fayre ⁊ hardy Hawkes [“Slauon Goshawkes”], large footed, very well penned, theyr downe and plumage excellent fine, their tungs blacke, and their nares large and wide.
- [T]he glad Bird [a dove] ſtayes all the day abroad, / And vvondrous proud that he a place had found, / […] / Bathing himſelfe, vvhich long he had not done, / And dryes his feathers in the vvelcome Sunne, / Pruning his plumage, clenſing euery quill, / And going back, he beareth in his bill / An Oliue leafe, by vvhich Noah vnderſtood / The great decreaſe and vvaning of the flood: […]
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archaicFeathers used ornamentally; feathering; (countable) a bunch or tuft of such feathers; a plume.
- [S]he could not but contrast the splendour of the Polish retinues and their plumages and draperies, with the strait-buttoned Prussian dignitaries, all in mere soldier uniform, succinct 'blue coat, white linen gaiters,' and no superfluity even in the epaulettes and red facings.
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obsoletefalconryhobbieshuntingFeathers which are fed to a hawk to cause it to regurgitate, for the purpose of cleaning its crop; a type of casting.
- Euery night, after he hath fleen with his hawke the daye, either at the fielde, or brooke, he muſte giue his hawke caſting, ſomewhyles plumage, ſome other whiles pellets of Cotton, or ſuche like, and agayne, ſometimes ſome one medicine or other, according as by hir caſting, or mewte, he ſhall perceyue hir to ſtande needefull thereof, […]
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A person's dress, especially when elaborate or fine.
- While she was thinking what to say, Marie gradually wiped away her tears, and smoothed her plumage in a general sort of way, as a dove might be supposed to make toilet after a shower, […]
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A person's external appearance, especially when showy.
- I have thought / Of thee, thy learning, gorgeous eloquence, / And all the strength and plumage of thy youth, […]
- This expression of liberality and confidence from a man of Major Bridgenorth's reserved and cautious disposition, gave full plumage to Mistress Deborah's hopes; […]
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。