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verb (used with object)
1.
(of animals, especially birds) to trim or dress (feathers, fur, etc.) with the beak or tongue: The peacock preened itself on the lawn.
2.
to dress (oneself) carefully or smartly; primp: The king preened himself in his elaborate ceremonial robes.
3.
to pride (oneself) on an achievement, personal quality, etc.: He preened himself on having been graduated with honors.
verb (used without object)
4.
to make oneself appear striking or smart in dress or appearance: No amount of careful preening will compensate for poor posture.
5.
to be exultant or proud.
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Preening
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To preening
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
preen
"to trim, to dress up," late 14c., perhaps a variation of prune (v.), or from O.Fr. poroindre "anoint before," and O.Fr. proignier "round off, prune." O.E. preon meant "to pin," and probably influenced this word. Due to the popularity of falconry, Words for bird activities were formerly much more precise
EXPANDthan today.
COLLAPSE
"Youre hawke proynith and not pikith and she prenyth not bot whan she begynnyth at hir leggys, and fetcheth moystour like oyle at hir taill." ["Book of St. Albans," 1486]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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