Feathers fluff, wings stretch wide.

Meaning: The baby bird's feathers become fluffy, and it spreads its wings.

Choice of Words: Feathers are the light, quill-like structures that form the plumage of birds. Fluff means to make or become light and soft. Wings are the limbs of a bird, bat, or other animal that enable it to fly. Stretch means to extend or be extended. Wide means of great or considerable extent or area.

Alternative Expressions

The bird fluffed its feathers and stretched its wings wide.

Meaning: This sentence describes the same thing as the first sentence, but it uses more specific language. It tells us that the bird is the one doing the fluffing and stretching, and it uses the past tense to indicate that these actions have already happened.

Choice of Words: The bird is the subject of the sentence, and it is performing the actions of fluffing its feathers and stretching its wings. Fluffed is the past tense of the verb fluff, and it means that the bird made its feathers loose and soft. Stretched is the past tense of the verb stretch, and it means that the bird made its wings longer and wider.

With a rustle of feathers and a beat of wings, the bird took flight.

Meaning: This sentence describes the bird taking off into the air. The feathers make a rustling sound as the bird flaps its wings and begins to fly. This sentence is more descriptive than the first two sentences, and it gives us a better sense of the bird's movement.

Choice of Words: Rustle is a verb that means to make a soft, crackling sound. Beat is a verb that means to move something back and forth quickly. Flight is a noun that means the act of flying. Took is the past tense of the verb take, and it means that the bird began to fly.

Related Expressions