downy

See also: dôwny and dŏwny

English edit

From down +‎ -y.

downy (comparative downier, superlative downiest)

Having down, covered with a soft fuzzy coating as of small feathers or hair.
The chick's downy coat of feathers formed almost immediately to keep it warm.
(slang, dated) Sharp-witted, perceptive.
- 1947, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, Speech in UK House of Commons, 10th November 1947:
  The right hon. Gentleman has much more claim to the adjective downy than I have, but he really cannot catch me with that one.
- 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 10, in The History of Pendennis. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
  I’m not clever, p’raps: but I am rather downy; and partial friends say I know what’s o’clock tolerably well.
(UK, Norfolk) Low-spirited; down in the mouth.

having down

Bulgarian: пухест (puhest), мъхест (bg) (mǎhest)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 毛茸茸 (zh) (máoróngróng)
Dutch: donzig (nl)
Finnish: untuvainen (fi)
French: duveteux (fr)
German: flaumig
Irish: clúmhach
Italian: piumoso (it)
Latvian: pūkains
Plautdietsch: dünijch
Russian: пухо́вый (ru) (puxóvyj) (made of down), пуши́стый (ru) (pušístyj) (furry, fuzzy)
Swedish: dunig (sv)

downy (plural downies)

A blanket filled with down; a duvet.
- 2013, Dorothy M. Jensen, The Little Girl From 311 Travis Street, page 246:
  Went to bed with 2 downies on the bed, but the heat finally kicked in and ended with one cover and my feet sticking out.
(slang, dated) A bed.
to do the downy (i.e. lie in bed)
- 1857, Anthony Trollope, The Three Clerks, volume I, London: Richard Bentley, page 181:
  "Lord love you, Mr. Scott, I've a deal to do before I get to my downy; and I don't like those doctored tipples. Good night, Mr. Scott; I wishes you good night, sir;" and making another slight reference to his hat, which had not been removed from his head during the whole interview, Mr. Manylodes took himself off.