V2 Vocabulary Building Dictionary
preen
verb
Definition: 1. to dress or adorn oneself with great care; 2. what birds do when they clean their feathers with their beaks; 3. what cats do when they groom themselves; 4. to feel and/or act very self-satisfied and self-congratulatory
Synonyms: groom, primp, dress, adorn, spruce, gloat, self-congratulate
Antonyms:
Tips: When the word preen is used in the context of someone being self-satisfied, it's used in a disapproving manner. For a memory trick, note how preen sounds like a combination of the words "purr" and "clean." Now imagine a cat preening (cleaning) himself and purring in a very smug and self-satisfied manner. This image illustrates the two main uses of preen--to primp and to be overly self-satisfied.
Usage Examples:
People who preen themselves on a job well done are annoyingly self-satisfied and smug. (self-congratulate)
My cat sat on the windowsill preening herself for hours. (grooming)
Greg sometimes preens himself on his ability to effectively deal with clients and co-workers. (self-congratulates)
The girls preened all day in preparation for prom night. (primped, dressed, spruced)
Discover How You Can Improve Your
Vocabulary 10 to 100 Times Faster with
the Power Vocabulary Builder
Dear Friend,
The definition and lessons for the word preen were made available by the Power Vocabulary Builder.
The Power Vocabulary Builder will help you develop a fuller, richer vocabulary 10 to 100 times faster than any other program available.
Visit the the Power Vocabulary Builder site right now to discover how you can get full access to this breakthrough program today!
zenith - Definition of zenith
zealot - Definition of zealot
zany - Definition of zany
yoke - Definition of yoke
wry - Definition of wry
