Preen

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːn

From Middle English pren, from Old English prēon, from Proto-Germanic *preunaz (compare Icelandic prjónn ("pin, knitting-needle"), Danish pryne ‘needle, eel-spear’), from Proto-Indo-European *brewn- ("protrusion, tip, edge") (compare Lithuanian briaunà ‘edge’, Albanian brez ‘belt, girdle’).

The verb is from Middle English prenen, from pren ("a preen").

Alternative forms

• prin dialectal

Full definition of preen

Noun

1. A forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth.
2. dialectal pin
3. dialectal bodkin; brooch

Verb

1. (transitive) To pin; fasten.

Variant of prune (by influence of preen above)

Attested in Chaucer (c. 1395) in the variants preyneth, prayneth, proyneth, prunyht, pruneth.

Verb

1. (of birds) To groom; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers.
2. To show off, posture, or smarm.
• 1993, Scott Simmon, The Films of D W GriffithHis preening self-satisfaction, chest thrown forward as he settles into a chair in his mansion...
• 2004, Jude Deveraux, Counterfeit LadyHe preened under her compliments.
3. (UK, dialect, dated) To trim up, as trees.

Anagrams

• neper