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Meanings of preening in English
Specific behavior of an organism relating to grooming, cleaning and brushing to remove dirt and parasites.
Related terms
Synonyms
Examples for "preen"
Examples for "preen"
1
Even wild kakapos are known to approach, climb on, and preen people.
2
Carefully, he began to preen, pulling out some feathers and smoothing others.
3
He said you'd pine and you'd preen, and how very right he was.
4
There were many store-windows to preen before, as in a mirror.
5
Birds came there to drink and bathe and preen and dress their feathers.
1
The regiment fluttered like a bird preening its plumage and became motionless.
2
Even to Commander Raffleton himself it looked as if the great wings were quivering, like the outstretched pinions of a bird preening itself before flight.
Usage of preening in English
1
Sometimes asking a question is less about curiosity and more about preening.
2
The others are dim, feeble little things preening themselves in reflected glory.
3
Robyn is in the bathroom, preening, cooling down from our fight earlier.
4
Emma's sisters couldn't stop themselves from preening a bit as he passed.
5
Bobbie sat down at the risk of spoiling some of her preening.
6
The regiment fluttered like a bird preening its plumage and became motionless.
7
Two birds stayed behind, preening themselves, floating with claws curled on nothing.
8
Tlitoo landed in front of me, and immediately began preening his wings.
9
The slaves chattered like a flock of birds, preening under her attention.
10
She blossomed under their attention, like a flower preening in the sunshine.
11
She snarled up into the trees where Tlitoo stood preening his wings.
12
Tlitoo was busily preening his wing feathers and didn't look at me.
13
In the center of the pond the decoys were swimming and preening.
14
She dresses up as a sad shark and he's a preening eagle.
15
Abby rolled her eyes, although inwardly she did a bit of preening.
16
A Norman knight lives only for hunting and whoring, preening and warring.
About this term
Frequent collocations
More collocations
Preening through the time
Preening across language varieties
United States of America
Common
United Kingdom
Common