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prune |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Prune \Prune\, v. 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 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. --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Prune \Prune\, v. i. To dress; to prink; -used humorously or in contempt. --Dryden. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Prune \Prune\, n. [F. prune, from L. prunum a plum. See {Plum}.] 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} ({P. domestica}), which produces prunes. b The West Indian tree, {Prunus occidentalis}. {South African prune} (Bot.), the edible fruit of a sapindaceous tree ({Pappea Capensis}). From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: prune n : dried plum v 1: cut back the growth of of bushes and trees [syn: {snip}, {clip}, {crop}, {trim}, {lop}, {dress}, {cut back}] 2: weed out unwanted or unnecessary things "We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet" [syn: {cut}, {rationalize}]
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