The white feather has completely different symbolic meanings in the American Military when compared to the British Army and armies associated with the former British Empire. In the American army, a white feather is a symbol of excellence in combat marksmenship. On the other hand, in Britain, the meaning could hardly be more distinct.

As early as the late 18th century, the white feather has been the mark of cowardice. Its beginnings come from the realm of cockfighting as birds with any white tail feathers were considered to be inferior fighters. The superior gamecocks were bred without white tail feathers.

It grew to become very common for women in particular to hand white feathers to gentlemen of fighting age they came across on the street. Numerous men were so embarrassed by being passed a white feather in public, they'd find a local recruiting office and join the army. Plenty of were destined only to stop an enemy bullet.

The act of giving white feathers was so common that some of the men who were given them shouldn't have received them. A number of men who had been home on leave and strolling the streets in civilian clothes would be given feathers. Various other undeserving recipients included men who had been dismissed because of injury, were back home recovering from injury or people who were clinically not fit to enlist.

Most of the women who gave white feathers were part of a movement called "Order of the White Feather" which had been established in 1914 to really encourage women to give feathers to men who hadn't signed up with the armed service. However, there were people that thought that the women were from time to time somewhat to willing to hand out feathers to men who shouldn't have been given them.

Even so, one pacifist that refused to fight, had been satisfied with the fact he was presented with so many feathers. Fenner Brockway was claimed to have stated that as a result of refusing to fight in The Great War, he had gained ample white feathers to make a fan.