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Avatar and Feather

A act wherein the graphical avatar of any forum user is involuntarily changed (generally by a forum moderator) to an image which is embarrassing or inappropriate. The phrase is descended from "tarring and feathering," a mob-administered vigilante punishment common in the American frontier era, wherein the victim was covered with hot tar onto which bird feathers were then pressed.

Avatarring and Feathering is considered to be a tongue-in-cheek punishment, as it is not significantly destructive to the user's online experience (in contrast with banning / kicking.) As such, it is levied upon extremely minor offenders, or even as an in-joke for some specific contextual purpose within a thread.

The application of Avatarring and Feathering serves a purpose more similar to that of the dunce cap or the scarlet letter in earlier times. By comparison, the real-world punishment of tarring and feathering often caused moderate-to-severe injuries to the victim as the hot (sometimes boiling) tar was poured onto the skin.

The first known utterance of the phrase occurred on 5 May, 2013, when a user, posting on a sportscar-related web forum, had his avatar changed from that of an automobile on fire to one of a stylized pink pony character from the popular television show "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." This was done after he employed the word Brony in an apparently serious context while responding to another user, whom he suspected of trolling.
Examples:

"Can we please avatar and feather ^that guy^?"

"Great, I've been avatared and feathered. Can a mod please change my avatar back to something OTHER than a pink pony now?"
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irrational fear

Something that scares the living shit out of you that isn't going to kill/hurt/maim you. Just grow a pair, deal with it, and move on. You can thank me later.
Rational fears:
1. That BIG fucking dog that accidentally got out of the neighbor's yard...AGAIN!
2. Ramifications of telling your boss to go fuck himself (or herself.)

Irrational fears:
1. Asking a guy/girl on a date. (OK, she says no, maybe laughs a little...tells her friend, who post it on...OK, maybe this is a rational fear!)
2. Getting screwed by a leprechaun. (Leprechauns have such small dicks...so I've been told.)
by StevieTheOldFrigginFart July 26, 2014
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Related Words

Fearless

Being able to stare at someone in the eye as they hold a rubber band wrapped around their hand in the shape of the gun and not flinch.
Guy 1: Woah did you see that? He didn't even flinch when Johnny shot him in the eye with that rubber band!

Guy 2: He's fearless!

Guy 1: Or drunk!
by Blono40 January 21, 2011
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feat

Featuring an artist or group. Commonly used by DJs and other artists that create and mix music (techno, dance, trance, other mixes and cardio.)
by xSer October 31, 2007
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Feasible

Feasible - for something to make sense, to be realizable, possible, usefull.
"Let's design a car that can only drive 1 mph."

The above is not a feasible plan :)
by th1alb March 9, 2007
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Featheralley

The person that TNT the neopets team actually adores. After escaping with her account, pets and items intact after TNT was hacked even though they deny it, she became hated, loved:-either one.
Person:- FEATHERALLEY GOT EVERYTHING BACK THAT'S UNFAIR
Other person:- TNT is taking sides.

Neopet:- Favoritism! :(
by AC Freak October 21, 2010
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Fearless

Having fears, but jumping anyway
Walking onto a stage with people you know in the audience. You're petrified, but you sing the song to your best anyway. That's fearless.
by swiftie13 September 14, 2011
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