Crossword clues for preen
preen
- Obsess in front of the mirror
- Groom oneself
- Dress fussily
- Groom feathers
- Get duded up
- Fuss at the mirror
- Fuss at a mirror
- Spruce oneself up
- Overuse the mirror
- Dress to impress
- Beautify with the beak
- Admire yourself in the mirror
- Use the mirror
- Use a mirror
- Unruffle one's feathers
- Strut one's stuff
- Make oneself pretty
- Groom, bird-style
- Groom excessively
- Groom elaborately
- Get grooming
- Fuss over one's feathers
- Fuss in front of the mirror
- Fix feathers
- Clean, bird-style
- Clean with a bill
- Arrange feathers
- Work on one's coat
- Use selfie mode for hours, say
- Trim, as feathers
- Smooth, as feathers
- Smooth with the beak, as feathers
- Smarten up?
- Show vanity, in a way
- Put on makeup
- Parakeets do it
- Obsess over one's dress
- Manifest vanity
- Make like a peacock
- Groom with a bill
- Groom for a long time
- Groom (oneself) with evident vanity
- Get spruced up
- Get ready for the prom, say
- Get one's hair just right
- Get all prettied up
- Fuss over one's attire
- Fuss over one's appearance
- Fuss over appearances
- Fuss like a peacock
- Fix one's feathers
- Fancify oneself
- Dress to kill
- Dress nattily
- Dress feathers with the tongue
- Dress feathers
- Do like a peacock
- Clean with one's bill
- Be a mirror hog
- Attach a boutonnière, perhaps
- Admire oneself
- Act the fop
- Act like a peacock
- Peacocks do it
- Primp in front of a mirror
- Take pride in (oneself)
- Exhibit vanity
- Groom carefully
- Get gussied up fussily
- Dress up fussily
- Fuss with feathers
- Comb and comb and comb
- Spruce up
- Be exultant
- Fuss over oneself
- Fix just right
- Get smart
- Fuss, in a way
- Be a dandy
- Fuss over feathers
- Act the coxcomb
- Engage in excessive self-reflection?
- Clean one's feathers
- Emulate a popinjay
- Tidy oneself
- Congratulate oneself for achievement
- Hog the mirror, maybe
- Dress carefully
- Doll up
- Smooth feathers
- Imitate peacocks, in a way
- Prink
- Do not rush in dressing
- Gloat
- Be vain, in a way
- Get all gussied up
- Stroke one's feathers
- British brooch
- Copy a peacock
- Adorn oneself
- Linger at the mirror
- Dress fastidiously
- Fluff one's feathers
- Show off
- Pride oneself
- Trim feathers with the beak
- Dress fur
- Groom with elaborate care
- Groom with great care
- Groom quiet about knight pinching bride's bottom
- Clean feathers before hens de-winged
- Clean (feathers)
- Work on feathers about to probe quill?
- What diver may do with bill, on cutting pound
- Spruce up M's place?
- Bird's tidy up? No, down!
- Clean feathers with the tongue
- Gussy up
- Hog the mirror, say
- Fuss in front of a mirror
- Emulate a peacock
- Monopolize the mirror
- Dress to the nines
- Dress smartly
- Dress with elaborate care
- Smooth one's feathers
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Preen \Preen\, v. i. To dress up neatly and smartly; to make oneself well-groomed and well-dressed.
2. To feel proud of one's achievement; to swell or gloat.
Preen \Preen\, n. [AS. pre['o]n a clasp, bodkin; akin to D. priem punch, bodkin, awl, G. pfriem, Icel. prj[=o]nn a knitting needle, pin, Dan. preen a bodkin, punch.] A forked tool used by clothiers in dressing cloth.
Preen \Preen\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preened; p. pr. & vb. n. Preening.] [See Preen, n.; or cf. Prune.]
To dress with, or as with, a preen; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers; -- said of birds.
--Derham.To trim up, as trees. [Prov. Eng.]
--Halliwell.Hence: To dress (oneself) carefully or stylishly; to primp.
To pride (oneself) on one's accomplishments; to congratulate (oneself).
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"to trim, to dress up," late 14c., perhaps a variation of Middle English proynen, proinen "trim the feather with the beak" (see prune (v.)); or perhaps from Old French poroindre "anoint before," and Old French proignier "round off, prune." Middle English prene (from Old English preon, a general Germanic word) meant "to pin," and probably influenced the form of this word. Watkins, however, connects it with Latin unguere "to smear, anoint."\n
\nBecause of the popularity of falconry, bird activities formerly were more closely observed and words for them were more precise in English than today.Youre hawke proynith and not pikith and she prenyth not bot whan she begynnyth at hir leggys, and fetcheth moystour like oyle at hir taill. ["Book of St. Albans," 1486]
Wiktionary
Etymology 1 alt. 1 A forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth. 2 (qualifier: dialectal) pin 3 (qualifier: dialectal) bodkin; brooch n. 1 A forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth. 2 (qualifier: dialectal) pin 3 (qualifier: dialectal) bodkin; brooch vb. (context transitive English) To pin; fasten. Etymology 2
vb. 1 (context of birds English) To groom; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers. 2 To show off, posture, or smarm. 3 (context UK dialect dated English) To trim up, as trees.
WordNet
v. clean with one's bill; "The birds preened" [syn: plume]
pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement [syn: congratulate]
dress or groom with elaborate care; "She likes to dress when going to the opera" [syn: primp, plume, dress]
Wikipedia
Preen may refer to:
Usage examples of "preen".
She wore no face paint, made no gesture, and took no preening or beckoning stance, Mirt looked at her again, meeting her eyes squarely.
Suddenly they were naked, pouting and preening at him, then at each other.
Rise to her ethereal feasts, Not, though lightnings track your wit Starward, scorning them you quit: For be sure the bravest wing Preens it in our common spring, Thence along the vault to soar, You with others, gathering more, Glad of more, till you reject Your proud title of elect, Perilous even here while few Roam the arched greenwood with you.
He left the cheetahs strutting and preening at each other and favoring Torve with dubious looks.
Idosso would preen himself as one whom even mighty Amra dared not challenge.
Jane wondered at their apparent apathy, and a moment later her wonder turned to amazement as she saw the great cat come quite close to the apes, who appeared entirely unconcerned by its presence, and, squatting down in their midst, fell assiduously to the business of preening, which occupies most of the waking hours of the cat family.
Sweeping branches of ancient Bani trees hung low over rocky shores where spindly-legged waders strutted and preened.
CHAPTER THREE In the clear dawnlight, moving around the clearing to fetch water for the birds, and taking stock - one of the men should hunt today, to kill something for the sentry-birds, although already they looked better and were preening their feathers and cleaning their feet - Romilly could see the walls of Nevarsin, clear in the light as if they were made of snow or salt.
The new ship hovered above them in Spacedock, as comfortable as an eagle in its aerie, being tended, coddled, and preened by devoted minions in extravehicular suits, none quite as consumed with wonder as the proud captain himself.
He looked up as she whirled once more, shyly preening as she smoothed the soft wool over her hips.
Ramanthian, who was well aware of the way his peers were watching him, had used a tool arm to preen the areas to either side of his parrotlike beak.
He paused here to indicate the young lord, who preened at this mention and looked sidelong at Lady Amalia to make sure she had heard.
The avisaurs stayed in their cages, but spread their wings at the touch of sun and preened themselves.
The archwizard preened at the flattery, smoothing his tangled, tattered hair with one hand.
Sapientia had a habit of preening when Bayan paid lush attention to her.