feather one’s (own) nest

F

feather one’s (own) nest

Meaning

• If you say that you are feathering your own nest, you mean that you are working so hard to gather resources (money) to live a comfortable life in the future.
• The idiom can also be used to denote people who love to look only at their interests.
• To make yourself rich, especially through dishonest ways.
• Acquire resources or property, especially through taking advantage of others, especially the poor.
• To make your place beautiful at the expense of others.

Example Sentences

1. John is so much concerned about helping others instead of feathering his own nest.
2. The governor was supposed to give the money to the poor; instead, she used it to feather her own nest.
3. Philip thinks Fiona’s main priority is feathering her own nest.
4. Behind his Boss’s back, he was also feathering his own nest.
5. These are the same leaders who divide the people to feather their own nest.

Origin

This idiomatic phrase, “feather your own nest,” came into being in the mid-1500. It is based on the fact that birds tend to make their nests better, warm, and safe for their hatchings by feathering them. Some people even suggest that some birds even pluck their own feathers to add it to their nests.

But usually, the phrase is used to refer to a situation when someone is taking advantage of others. However, you can also talk of feathering your own nest when referring to a situation where you accumulate wealth for the future, like after retirement.

Bird, Selfish