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Definition of preen verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

     

    preen

     verb
    verb
    NAmE//prin//
     
    Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they preen
     
    he / she / it preens
     
    past simple preened
     
    -ing form preening
     
     
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  1. 1[transitive, intransitive] preen (yourself) (usually disapproving) to spend a lot of time making yourself look attractive and then admiring your appearance Will you stop preening yourself in front of the mirror?
  2. 2[transitive] preen yourself (on something) (usually disapproving) to feel very pleased with yourself about something and show other people how pleased you are
  3. 3[intransitive, transitive] preen (itself) (of a bird) to clean itself or make its feathers smooth with its beak
See preen in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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