Idioms & Phrases: Feathering One's Nest

An idiom meaning using one's position, opportunities, or resources to enrich oneself, often in a selfish and dishonest style. 

The image comes from a bird lining its nest with feathers to make it comfortable.  Applied to people, it  suggests someone is making their own situations comfortable or profitable at others expenses. In Hardy's novel Far From The Madding Crowd, the phrase usually carries a critical or disapproving tone, implying greed, self-interest, or abuse of trust. It is general opinion of the parish people that Gabriel Oak was feathering his nest using the resources of Boldwood and Bathsheba. 

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