Definitions
To clean feathers with the beak, or to groom oneself carefully.
Word origin
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.
Used in a sentence
“She never seemed to want for siller; the house was as bright as a new preen, the yaird better delved than the manse garden; […]”
“Mr Kernan halted and preened himself before the sloping mirror of Peter Kennedy, hairdresser. Stylish coat, beyond a doubt. Scott of Dawson street. Well worth the half sovereign I gave Neary for it.”
“His preening self-satisfaction, chest thrown forward as he settles into a chair in his mansion...”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer2 curated clues
01“Groom feathers”5 letters
02“Groom carefully”5 letters
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