/ English Dictionary |
PREEN
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they preen ... he / she / it preens
Past simple: preened
-ing form: preening
Sense 1
Meaning:
Dress or groom with elaborate care
Example:
She likes to dress when going to the opera
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Hypernyms (to "preen" is one way to...):
attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)
Verb group:
dress; get dressed (put on clothes)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Sentence examples:
They preen
They preen themselves
Sense 2
Meaning:
Pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement
Synonyms:
congratulate; preen
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "preen" is one way to...):
crow; gloat; triumph (dwell on with satisfaction)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Sense 3
Meaning:
Example:
The birds preened
Synonyms:
plume; preen
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "preen" is one way to...):
arrange; set up (put into a proper or systematic order)
clean; make clean (make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something