preen
verb (used with object)
(of animals, especially birds) to trim or dress (feathers, fur, etc.) with the beak or tongue.
preens
-
present tense formof preen (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sometimes his comic instincts do pay off, as when Thor, Jane and friends crash a neo-Olympian, Vegas-ready paradise called Omnipotence City, where Crowe’s Zeus preens, prances and speaks in a hilariously awful Greek accent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2022
Davis preens as Mr. Calpito keeps his own legs suspended an inch off the ground for an excruciating amount of time and tells you that you should be doing the same.
From New York Times ● May 26, 2020
Robotnik preens, seethes, and contorts his face to spit out condescending sarcasm with all the psychology of a Saturday morning cartoon baddie.
From Slate ● Feb. 14, 2020
A given culture typically preens itself into believing that its foodways, family structure and political system are the truly logical ones.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 1, 2019
“Methinks she preens her feathers just for me,” Guildenstern boasted.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
