I. ˈprēn noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English prene, from Old English prēon; akin to Middle Dutch priem bodkin, Middle Low German prēn, prīm pin, awl, Middle High German pfrieme awl
1. dialect chiefly Britain
a. : a metal pin
needles and preens
b. : brooch
2. dialect chiefly Britain : something of trifling value
he never cared a preen for her — G.O.Brown
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English prenen, from prene
chiefly Scotland : pin II
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English preinen, alteration (influenced by Middle English prenen ) of proinen, prunen
transitive verb
1. : to trim or dress with or as if with the beak or the tongue
pigeons preened themselves and cooed softly — D.H.Lawrence
a cat preens its fur
2. : to dress or smooth (oneself) up : arrange (the clothing or hair) fastidiously
he preened back his hair, which lay slick and thin on his head — D.C.Loughlin
3. : to pride or congratulate (oneself) for achievement
preened himself on having put across another sharp deal — David Walden
preened himself upon his sapience — Amy Lowell
intransitive verb
1. : to make sleek : dress , trim
2. : gloat , swell
preened as he addressed the convention opening — Newsweek
she preened, approving her adolescence — Virginia Woolf