PREEN
preen, primp, plume, dress
(verb) dress or groom with elaborate care; “She likes to dress when going to the opera”
preen, congratulate
(verb) pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement
preen, plume
(verb) clean with one’s bill; “The birds preened”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Noun
preen (plural preens)
A forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth.
(dialectal) pin
(dialectal) bodkin; brooch
Verb
preen (third-person singular simple present preens, present participle preening, simple past and past participle preened)
(transitive) To pin; fasten.
Etymology 2
Verb
preen (third-person singular simple present preens, present participle preening, simple past and past participle preened)
(of birds) To groom; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers.
To show off, posture, or smarm.
(UK, dialect, dated) To trim up, as trees.
Anagrams
• neper, perne
Source: Wiktionary
Preen, n. Etym: [AS. preón a clasp, bodkin; akin to D. priem punch,
bodkin, awl, G. pfriem, Icel. prjonn a knitting needle, pin, Dan.
preen a bodkin, punch.]
Definition: A forked tool used by clothiers in dressing cloth.
Preen, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preened; p. pr. & vb. n. Preening.] Etym:
[See Preen, n.; or cf. Prune.]
1. To dress with, or as with, a preen; to trim or dress with the
beak, as the feathers; -- said of birds. Derham.
2. To trim up, as trees. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition