FULLY FLEDGE Meaning and
Definition
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The term "fully fledged" refers to the state of being fully developed or matured, especially in the context of living beings or ideas. It is commonly used to describe young birds that have reached a stage where they have acquired the necessary characteristics and abilities to survive independently.
In biological terms, "fully fledged" signifies the moment when a bird has grown all its feathers and its wings are strong enough to support sustained flight. This transitional phase marks the culmination of the bird's growth process and the acquisition of the necessary skills for survival.
Metaphorically, "fully fledged" is used to describe individuals or entities who have reached a stage of complete readiness or maturity. This can be applied to human beings who have gained the necessary skills, knowledge, or experience to undertake a particular task or handle a specific situation competently.
It can also refer to ideas or concepts that have been thoroughly developed, with all aspects or components fully realized. For instance, a fully fledged business plan would be an extensively detailed and elaborated document containing comprehensive strategies and analyses.
In summary, "fully fledged" describes the state of being fully grown, developed, or matured, whether in the physical sense of a bird's ability to fly or in the metaphorical sense of an individual, entity, or concept being fully prepared or complete.
Etymology of FULLY FLEDGE
The term "fully fledged" or "fully-fledged" originated from the verb "fledge", which itself can be traced back to Old English. "Fledge" refers to the process by which a bird develops the feathers necessary for flight. It comes from the Old English word "fledgian", which means "to furnish with feathers". In turn, "fledgian" is related to the Proto-Germanic word "flugjojaną", meaning "to fly" or "to take flight". Over time, "fledge" came to mean the action of a bird leaving the nest after acquiring sufficient feathers for flight. The term "fully fledged" emerged as an adjective to describe a bird that has completed this process and become capable of flying independently.
