preen

¹preen

noun \ˈprēn\

Definition of PREEN

1

dialect chiefly British : pin

2

dialect chiefly British : brooch

Origin of PREEN

Middle English prene, from Old English prēon; akin to Middle High German pfrieme awl

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with PREEN

bean, clean, dean, Dean, Deane, dene, e'en, gene, glean, green, jean, keen, lean, lien, mean, mesne, mien, peen, quean, queen, scene, screen, sheen, shin, sin, spean, spleen, teen, tween, wean, ween, wheen, yean

²preen

transitive verb

Definition of PREEN

chiefly Scottish

: pin

First Known Use of PREEN

1572

³preen

verb

Definition of PREEN

transitive verb

1

of a bird : to groom with the bill especially by rearranging the barbs and barbules of the feathers and by distributing oil from the uropygial gland

2

: to dress or smooth (oneself) up : primp

3

: to pride or congratulate (oneself) on an achievement

intransitive verb

1

: to make oneself sleek

2

: to behave or speak with obvious pride or self-satisfaction

— preen·er noun

Origin of PREEN

Middle English prenen, alteration of proynen, prunen, from Anglo-French puroindre, proindre, from pur- thoroughly + uindre, oindre to anoint, rub, from Latin unguere — more at purchase, ointment

First Known Use: 14th century