spruce 1
/sproohs/ , n.
1. any evergreen, coniferous tree of the genus Picea, of the pine family, having short, angular, needle-shaped leaves attached singly around twigs and bearing hanging cones with persistent scales.
2. any of various allied trees, as the Douglas fir and the hemlock spruce.
3. the wood of any such tree.
adj.
4. made from the wood of a spruce tree or trees.
5. containing or abounding in spruce trees.
[ 1350-1400; ME, special use of Spruce, sandhi var. of Pruce Pruce Prussia PRUSSIA, whence the timber came ]
spruce 2
— sprucely , adv. — spruceness , n.
/sproohs/ , adj., sprucer, sprucest , v. , spruced, sprucing .
adj.
1. trim in dress or appearance; neat; smart; dapper.
v.t.
2. to make spruce or smart (often fol. by up ): Spruce up the children before the company comes.
v.i.
3. to make oneself spruce (usually fol. by up ).
[ 1580-90; obs. spruce jerkin orig., jerkin made of spruce leather, i.e., leather imported from Prussia (see SPRUCE 1 ), hence fine, smart, etc. ]