PREEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does preen mean? 

• PREEN (verb)
  The verb PREEN has 3 senses:

1. clean with one's bill

2. pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement

3. dress or groom with elaborate care

  Familiarity information: PREEN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PREEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they preen    ... he / she / it preens   
Past simple: preened   
Past participle: preened   
-ing form: preening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Clean with one's bill

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

plume; preen

Context example:

The birds preened

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

Pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

congratulate; preen

Hypernyms (to "preen" is one way to...):

crow; gloat; triumph (dwell on with satisfaction)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Dress or groom with elaborate care

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

dress; plume; preen; primp

Context example:

She likes to dress when going to the opera

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

 Context examples 

The parrot sat, preening her plumage, on Long John's shoulder.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)