Preen
verb
When a bird cleans its feathers with its beak or when a person neatens themselves up for the sake of appearance.
The peacock preened its feathers, creating a mesmerizing display of color
Often appears as...
- preen oneself
- preen one's feathers
verb
To take pride or pleasure in one's achievements or possessions, often showing off.
He preened about his new sports car, showing it to everyone who passed by
Often appears as...
- preen over
- preen about
verb
When a bird cleans its feathers with its beak or when a person neatens themselves up for the sake of appearance.
The peacock preened its feathers, creating a mesmerizing display of color
Often appears as...
- preen oneself
- preen one's feathers
verb
To take pride or pleasure in one's achievements or possessions, often showing off.
He preened about his new sports car, showing it to everyone who passed by
Often appears as...
- preen over
- preen about
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Animal Behavior
Typically describes birds, emphasizes attention to detail and care in grooming.
The parrot carefully preened its feathers, ensuring each one was clean.
Pro Tip 2/3Self-Improvement
People preening might be preparing for an event or trying to look their best.
She preened in front of the mirror before the interview.
Pro Tip 3/3Vanity Connotation
When used for people, it can suggest vanity or excessive concern with appearance.
He was always preening himself whenever he walked past a window.
Pro Tip 1/3Animal Behavior
Typically describes birds, emphasizes attention to detail and care in grooming.
The parrot carefully preened its feathers, ensuring each one was clean.
Pro Tip 2/3Self-Improvement
People preening might be preparing for an event or trying to look their best.
She preened in front of the mirror before the interview.
Pro Tip 3/3Vanity Connotation
When used for people, it can suggest vanity or excessive concern with appearance.
He was always preening himself whenever he walked past a window.
Pro Tip 1/3Animal Behavior
Typically describes birds, emphasizes attention to detail and care in grooming.
The parrot carefully preened its feathers, ensuring each one was clean.
Pro Tip 2/3Self-Improvement
People preening might be preparing for an event or trying to look their best.
She preened in front of the mirror before the interview.
Pro Tip 3/3Vanity Connotation
When used for people, it can suggest vanity or excessive concern with appearance.
He was always preening himself whenever he walked past a window.
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Video examples
Relocated Gulf Pelicans...
endangered whooping cranes living in the wild the rescued pelicans from this late june release appeared to be adapting one of the things you look for for animals or for wildlife is do they go out there and did they start preening you know whenever a pelican start screening it's
Video examples
Double the Lion Prides –...
very straight and we're watching it go right up to it's up to it's nasal passages this or add up to the end of the beak in the mud and that it's a really nice depth and also enables them to preen a little bit easier as you can see the long beak like that helps you
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 162 PIPE...
just splash themselves and then they fly up onto the branch and they splashed himself again and they flop onto the branch mostly down to further maintenance and helping to get rid of some of the dust and the oil from the preen gland but I have heard other gods
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 340 PIPE...
banana and this guy well affectionately known as the flying chili pepper and as yesterday we had the yellow bill hornbill on the school drive busy doing pretty much the same as this sitting in the shade doing a little bit of preening in the
Video examples
Giant Animal Swarms PIPE...
such large colonies safety and protection of course once they are safe and protected flamingos like these are free to devote their time to things like preening which is using their bills to distribute oil from a gland at the base
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 226 PIPE...
break it open yeah I can't help myself and this is the closest I've ever been to an Egyptian vulture giving himself a little bit of a preen but look at things incredible
Video examples
The Fish That Hunts...
here in albany in the south of france the pigeons come to the river to bathe they need to preen their flight feathers clean off the city dust and cool themselves down
Video examples
Budgie Courtship Ritual...
too occupied in preening to care but her admirer has ways to get himself noticed she sees more subtleties of color than we can and she detects ultraviolet to a
Video examples
Best Spider Moments PIPE...
it's preening now it's it's just millimeters from the edge of the lid and it's it's stopped and it's preening its antennae and leg
Video examples
Trapdoor Spider Seizes...
it's lip now it's it's just millimeters from the edge of the lid and it's it's stopped and it's preening its antennae and leg
Video examples
Relocated Gulf Pelicans...
endangered whooping cranes living in the wild the rescued pelicans from this late june release appeared to be adapting one of the things you look for for animals or for wildlife is do they go out there and did they start preening you know whenever a pelican start screening it's
Video examples
Double the Lion Prides –...
very straight and we're watching it go right up to it's up to it's nasal passages this or add up to the end of the beak in the mud and that it's a really nice depth and also enables them to preen a little bit easier as you can see the long beak like that helps you
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 162 PIPE...
just splash themselves and then they fly up onto the branch and they splashed himself again and they flop onto the branch mostly down to further maintenance and helping to get rid of some of the dust and the oil from the preen gland but I have heard other gods
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 340 PIPE...
banana and this guy well affectionately known as the flying chili pepper and as yesterday we had the yellow bill hornbill on the school drive busy doing pretty much the same as this sitting in the shade doing a little bit of preening in the
Video examples
Giant Animal Swarms PIPE...
such large colonies safety and protection of course once they are safe and protected flamingos like these are free to devote their time to things like preening which is using their bills to distribute oil from a gland at the base
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 226 PIPE...
break it open yeah I can't help myself and this is the closest I've ever been to an Egyptian vulture giving himself a little bit of a preen but look at things incredible
Video examples
The Fish That Hunts...
here in albany in the south of france the pigeons come to the river to bathe they need to preen their flight feathers clean off the city dust and cool themselves down
Video examples
Budgie Courtship Ritual...
too occupied in preening to care but her admirer has ways to get himself noticed she sees more subtleties of color than we can and she detects ultraviolet to a
Video examples
Best Spider Moments PIPE...
it's preening now it's it's just millimeters from the edge of the lid and it's it's stopped and it's preening its antennae and leg
Video examples
Trapdoor Spider Seizes...
it's lip now it's it's just millimeters from the edge of the lid and it's it's stopped and it's preening its antennae and leg
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Paul Dini
American Writer
The Joker is a tremendous vehicle for talented actors. Cesar Romero's was a bubbly, lunatic criminal. Nicholson did him as a vain, preening manipulator. Heath's performance of the Joker was remarkable, too. His was a low-simmering crazy street clown. Joker can be played all these ways, and they're all true.
Quote examples
Kenneth Langone
American Businessman
Nothing so enchants attorneys general, their eyes generally fixed on higher public office, as slinging accusations against successful financial executives. Preening press conferences and fawning media coverage are virtually guaranteed, whether or not the charges have substance.
Quote examples
Timothy D. Snyder
American Author
Trump's Twitter flood of late-night mendacity is an unhindered celebration of fragile manhood, a ceaseless summons to the millions for affirmation, a proclamation to vulnerable men across the land that endless preening and stroking is a normal and imitable way of life.
Quote examples
Louise Nurding
British Musician
There's nothing worse than looking as if you've tried too hard or preened to within an inch of your life. If I'm wearing a strong item like a really beautiful dress, then I'll play down my shoes and accessories and make my hair really natural.
Quote examples
George Will
Journalist
Traditionally, baseball punishes preening. In a society increasingly tolerant of exhibitionism, it is splendid when a hitter is knocked down because in his last at bat he lingered at the plate to admire his home run.
Quote examples
John Thorn
American Historian
For many of us, sport has provided the continuity in our lives, the alternative family to the one we left behind. It gives us something to talk about, to preen about, to care about.
Quote examples
Maureen Dowd
American Journalist
Washington is a place where people have always been suspect of style and overt sexuality. Too much preening signals that you're not up late studying cap-and-trade agreements.
Quote examples
Julie Burchill
British Journalist
Women, more often than not, do things which aren't remotely relaxing but are all about preening, which is just another sort of work.
Quote examples
David Brin
American Author
Strutting and preening is, in fact, the surest sign of an inferiority complex.
Quote examples
Mason Cooley
American Writer
Young men preen. Old men scheme.
Quote examples
Paul Dini
American Writer
The Joker is a tremendous vehicle for talented actors. Cesar Romero's was a bubbly, lunatic criminal. Nicholson did him as a vain, preening manipulator. Heath's performance of the Joker was remarkable, too. His was a low-simmering crazy street clown. Joker can be played all these ways, and they're all true.
Quote examples
Kenneth Langone
American Businessman
Nothing so enchants attorneys general, their eyes generally fixed on higher public office, as slinging accusations against successful financial executives. Preening press conferences and fawning media coverage are virtually guaranteed, whether or not the charges have substance.
Quote examples
Timothy D. Snyder
American Author
Trump's Twitter flood of late-night mendacity is an unhindered celebration of fragile manhood, a ceaseless summons to the millions for affirmation, a proclamation to vulnerable men across the land that endless preening and stroking is a normal and imitable way of life.
Quote examples
Louise Nurding
British Musician
There's nothing worse than looking as if you've tried too hard or preened to within an inch of your life. If I'm wearing a strong item like a really beautiful dress, then I'll play down my shoes and accessories and make my hair really natural.
Quote examples
George Will
Journalist
Traditionally, baseball punishes preening. In a society increasingly tolerant of exhibitionism, it is splendid when a hitter is knocked down because in his last at bat he lingered at the plate to admire his home run.
Quote examples
John Thorn
American Historian
For many of us, sport has provided the continuity in our lives, the alternative family to the one we left behind. It gives us something to talk about, to preen about, to care about.
Quote examples
Maureen Dowd
American Journalist
Washington is a place where people have always been suspect of style and overt sexuality. Too much preening signals that you're not up late studying cap-and-trade agreements.
Quote examples
Julie Burchill
British Journalist
Women, more often than not, do things which aren't remotely relaxing but are all about preening, which is just another sort of work.
Quote examples
David Brin
American Author
Strutting and preening is, in fact, the surest sign of an inferiority complex.
Quote examples
Mason Cooley
American Writer
Young men preen. Old men scheme.
Example 1 of 10
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