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Webster 1913 Edition

Preen

Preen

,
Noun.
[AS.
preón
a clasp, bodkin; akin to D.
priem
punch, bodkin, awl, G.
pfriem
, Icel.
prjōnn
a knitting needle, pin, Dan.
preen
a bodkin, punch.]
A forked tool used by clothiers in dressing cloth.

Preen

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Preened
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Preening
.]
[See
Preen
,
Noun.
; or cf.
Prune
.]
1.
To dress with, or as with, a preen; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers; – said of birds.
Derham.
2.
To trim up, as trees.
[Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.

Webster 1828 Edition

Preen

PREEN

,
Noun.
A forked instrument used by clothiers in dressing cloth.

PREEN

,
Verb.
T.
To clean, compose and dress the feathers, as fowls, to enable them to glide more easily through the air or water. For this purpose they are furnished with two glands on their rump, which secrete an oily substance into a bag, from which they draw it with the bill and spread it over their feathers.

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