preen

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | 531 words | Copyright

preen / prēn/ • v. [intr.] (of a bird) straighten and clean its feathers with its beak: robins preened at the pool's edge | [tr.] the pigeon preened her feathers. ∎ (of a person) devote effort to making oneself look attractive and then admire one's appearance: adolescents preening in their bedroom mirrors. ∎ (preen oneself) congratulate or pride oneself: he's busy preening himself on acquiring such a pretty girlfriend. DERIVATIVES: preen·er n.

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