preen

Meaning

Noun

1. A forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth.
2. pin
3. bodkin; brooch

Verb

To pin; fasten.

Verb

1. To groom; to trim or dress the feathers with the beak.
2. To spend time making oneself attractive and admiring one's appearance, e.g. in front of a mirror.
3. To show off, posture, or smarm.
4. To flatter.
5. To comb; to make orderly.
6. To trim up, as trees.
7. To improve the appearance of; groom; prettify.

Synonyms

plume

dress

👗

congratulate

spruce

primp

get up

groom

prink

rake

reconcile

settle

smarten up

smooth out

smooth over

smarten oneself up

untwist

doll oneself up

doll up

rig out

spruce up

tog up

curry

🍛

currycomb

do up

dress up

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pɹiːn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: pren

Inherited from Old English: prēon

Cognate with Icelandic: prjónn

Cognate with Danish: pryne

Cognate with Lithuanian: briaunà

Cognate with Albanian: brez

Cognate with German: Pfriem

Inherited from Middle English: prenen

Cognate with German: pfriemen

In summary

From Middle English pren, from Old English prēon, from Proto-Germanic *preunaz (compare Icelandic prjónn (“pin, knitting-needle”), Danish pryne (“needle, eel-spear”)), of uncertain origin, but perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *brewn- (“protrusion, tip, edge”) (compare Lithuanian briaunà (“edge”), Albanian brez (“belt, girdle”)). Cognate with German Pfriem.
The verb is from Middle English prenen, from pren (“a preen”), akin to German pfriemen.