tar and feather
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See also: tar-and-feather
English
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Verb
tar and feather (third-person singular simple present tars and feathers, present participle tarring and feathering, simple past and past participle tarred and feathered)
- (transitive) To cover (a person) in sticky tar, then cover in feathers which stick to the tar; an archaic means of humiliating a person.
- 1855 — George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses, Volume 3 "Preaching the Gospel"
- "O," say they, "if you talk with a Mormon Elder, you are sure to get worsted; tar and feather them, mob them, and stone them out of the country, for if you listen to them, you will be deceived."
- 1884, Mark Twain, chapter XIX, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
- ...they'd be along pretty soon and give me 'bout half an hour's start, and then run me down if they could; and if they got me they'd tar and feather me and ride me on a rail, sure. I didn't wait for no breakfast—I warn't hungry.
- 1855 — George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses, Volume 3 "Preaching the Gospel"