Preen Definition

prēn
preened, preening, preens
verb
preened, preening, preens
To dress or groom oneself in a fussy and self-satisfied way.
Webster's New World
To clean and trim (the feathers) with the beak.
Webster's New World
To trim or clean (fur) with the tongue, as cats do.
American Heritage
To dress or groom (oneself) in a fussy and self-satisfied way.
Webster's New World
To show satisfaction with or vanity in (oneself)
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
noun
preens

A forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth.

Wiktionary

(dialectal) Pin.

Wiktionary

(dialectal) Bodkin; brooch.

Wiktionary

Origin of Preen

  • From Middle English pren, from Old English prÄ“on, 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").

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English proinen, preinen blend of Old French proignier to prune prune2 and Old French poroindre to anoint before (por- before) (from Latin prō- pro–1) (oindre to anoint) (from Latin unguere)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Variant of prune (by influence of preen above) Attested in Chaucer (c. 1395) in the variants preyneth, prayneth, proyneth, prunyht, pruneth.

    From Wiktionary

Preen Sentence Examples

  • What woman, especially after seeing the doe eyes of Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez, wouldn't want mile long lashes to bat and preen in?

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

  • She was described as Mary Preen, a spinster aged 20, the daughter of Richard Preen grocer, living at Leebotwood.

  • So they're getting paid a shitload to have adoring fans coo and preen in front of their latest masterwork?

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Words Starting With

PPRPRE

Words Ending With

NENEEN

Unscrambles

preen

Words Starting With P and Ending With N

Starts With P & Ends With NStarts With PR & Ends With NStarts With P & Ends With EN

Word Length

5 Letter Words5 Letter Words Starting With P5 Letter Words Ending With N