Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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.
\Prune\, v. i. To dress; to prink; -used humorously or in contempt. --Dryden.
\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}).