Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Prune
Prune
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pruned
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pruning
.] [OE.
proine
, probably fr. F. provigner
to lay down vine stocks for propagation; hence, probably, the meaning, to cut away superfluous shoots. See Provine
.] 1.
To lop or cut off the superfluous parts, branches, or shoots of; to clear of useless material; to shape or smooth by trimming; to trim: as, to prune trees; to prune an essay.
Thackeray.
Taking into consideration how they [laws] are to be
pruned
and reformed. Bacon.
Our delightful task
To
To
prune
these growing plants, and tend these flowers. Milton.
2.
To cut off or cut out, as useless parts.
Horace will our superfluous branches
prune
. Waller.
3.
To preen; to prepare; to dress.
Spenser.
His royal bird
Prunes
the immortal wing and cloys his beak. Shakespeare
Prune
,Verb.
I.
To dress; to prink; -used humorously or in contempt.
Dryden.
Prune
,Noun.
A plum; esp., a dried plum, used in cookery;
as, French or Turkish
prunes
; California prunes
.German prune
(Bot.)
, a large dark purple plum, of oval shape, often one-sided. It is much used for preserving, either dried or in sirup.
– Prune tree
. (Bot.)
(a)
A tree of the genus
Prunus
(Prunus domestica
), which produces prunes. (b)
The West Indian tree,
– Prunus occidentalis
. South African prune
(Bot.)
, the edible fruit of a sapindaceous tree (
Pappea Capensis
).Webster 1828 Edition
Prune
PRU'NE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To lop or cut off the superfluous branches of trees, to make them bear better fruit or grow higher, or to give them a more handsome and regular appearance.2.
To clear from any thing superfluous; to dress; to trim. His royal bird
Prunes the immortal wing, and cloys his beak.