pruning
(noun) the act of trimming a plant
pruning
(noun) something that has been pruned off of a plant
Source: WordNet® 3.1
pruning (countable and uncountable, plural prunings)
A removal of excess material from a tree or shrub.
(countable) Something obtained by pruning, as a twig.
(computer science) A method of enumeration that allows the cutting out of parts of a decision tree.
pruning
present participle of prune
Source: Wiktionary
Prun"ing, n.
1. The act of trimming, or removing what is superfluous.
2. (Falconry)
Definition: That which is cast off by bird in pruning her feathers; leavings. Beau. & Fl. Pruning hook, or Pruning knife, cutting instrument used in pruning trees, etc.
– Pruning shears, shears for pruning trees, vines, etc.
Prune, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pruned; p. pr. & vb. n. Pruning.] Etym: [OE. proine, probably fr. F. provigner to lay down vine stocks for propagation; hence, probably, the meaning, to cut away superfluous shoots. See Provine.]
1. To lop or cut off the superfluous parts, branches, or shoots of; to clear of useless material; to shape or smooth by trimming; to trim: as, to prune trees; to prune an essay. Thackeray. Taking into consideration how they [laws] are to be pruned and reformed. Bacon. Our delightful task To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers. Milton.
2. To cut off or cut out, as useless parts. Horace will our superfluous branches prune. Waller.
3. To preen; to prepare; to dress. Spenser. His royal bird Prunes the immortal wing and cloys his beak. Shak.
Prune, v. i.
Definition: To dress; to prink; -used humorously or in contempt. Dryden.
Prune, n. Etym: [F. prune, from L. prunum a plum. See Plum.]
Definition: A plum; esp., a dried plum, used in cookery; as, French or Turkish prunes; California prunes. German prune (Bot.), a large dark purple plum, of oval shape, often one-sided. It is much used for preserving, either dried or in sirup. Prune tree. (Bot.) (a) A tree of the genus Prunus (P. domestica), which produces prunes. (b) The West Indian tree, Prunus occidentalis.
– South African prune (Bot.), the edible fruit of a sapindaceous tree (Pappea Capensis).
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
16 December 2024
(verb) attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane; “civilians were strafed in an effort to force the country’s surrender”
The first coffee-house in Mecca dates back to the 1510s. The beverage was in Turkey by the 1530s. It appeared in Europe circa 1515-1519 and was introduced to England by 1650. By 1675 the country had more than 3,000 coffee houses, and coffee had replaced beer as a breakfast drink.
