preen

Object

• feather: The range of textures he creates - tough hide, fluffy fur, preened feathers, dry scales - is extraordinary.
• ego: His hopes for further promotion are about to be dashed; something his fragile, preening ego might not be able to cope with.
• star: A marriage made in metal Is it the preening stars?
• session: At about 6pm, she came into the box and began a thorough preening session.

Converse of object

have: Mom is taking a break from her maternal duties and is having a preen on the perch by the male.

Modifies a noun

• gland: Preen gland disease is not associated with any particular feather type.
• oil: The sun is thought to straighten the birds feathers and help the preen oil to spread through the feathers.

Modifying Another Word

• alternately: Instead her now-familiar ritual of alternately preening then appearing petrified conjured up an atmosphere not of sober reflection but juvenile hysteria.
• often: You could be accused of preening once too often.
• then: Fortunately it landed and gave good views, a female, watched it preen then move off to different perches.

Preposition: in

• front: So they're getting paid a shitload to have adoring fans coo and preen in front of their latest masterwork?
• shade: Sure enough after some concerted effort we found two preening in the shade of some trees.