TAR FEATHER Meaning and
Definition
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A tar feather refers to a cruel and humiliating punishment that was historically carried out on individuals deemed to be social outcasts or deserving of severe public humiliation. It involved coating a person's body with hot, sticky tar and then covering them with feathers, typically from a bird, such as a chicken or goose.
The tar feather punishment often occurred in public spaces, such as town squares or marketplaces, as a form of public shaming and was usually administered by a mob or community members. It was primarily used in Western societies during the 17th to 19th centuries as a means of punishment for various offences ranging from petty crimes to acts that were seen as socially unacceptable.
The tar acted as an adhesive, making it difficult for the individual to remove the feather-coated tar from their body. This caused not only physical discomfort but also immense humiliation and social ostracization for the person subjected to this punishment. It was considered a highly degrading and dehumanizing method, aimed at publicly humiliating and ridiculing the individual in order to deter others from engaging in similar behavior.
As societal attitudes and ideas of punishment evolved, the use of tar and feather gradually declined and is now no longer a commonly practiced form of penalty. However, it remains an indelible representation of historical punishment methods and the extreme measures societies have used to enforce social order and conformity.
Common Misspellings for TAR FEATHER
Etymology of TAR FEATHER
The term "tar and feather" is derived from a punishment method used in the past, primarily in Europe and America, to humiliate and inflict pain upon individuals considered to be social outcasts or criminals. The etymology of the term can be broken down into two parts:
1. Tar: Tar refers to a dark, thick, and sticky substance obtained by the distillation of wood or coal. It has been used for various purposes throughout history, such as waterproofing ships and preserving wood. In the context of "tar and feather", tar was used as a viscous, adhesive substance that would stick to a person's skin.
2. Feather: Feathers represent a soft, light, and often colorful part of a bird's plumage. In the context of "tar and feather", feathers were used in combination with tar to further humiliate the punished individual by causing them discomfort and making their appearance ridiculous.
