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
(Prune), v. i. To dress; to prink; - used humorously or in contempt. Dryden.
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 which produces
prunes. (b) The West Indian tree, Prunus occidentalis. — South African prune (Bot.), the edible
fruit of a sapindaceous tree (Pappea Capensis).
Prunella
(||Pru*nel"la) n. [NL., perhaps from G. bræune quinsy, croup.] (Med.) (a) Angina, or angina
pectoris. (b) Thrush.
Prunella salt (Old Chem.), niter fused and cast into little balls.
Prunella
(Pru*nel"la, Pru*nel"lo), n. [F. prunelle, probably so called from its color resembling that of
prunes. See Prune, n.] A smooth woolen stuff, generally black, used for making shoes; a kind of lasting; —
formerly used also for clergymen's gowns.
Prunelle
(Pru*nelle") n. [F., dim. of prune. See Prune, n.] A kind of small and very acid French
plum; — applied especially to the stoned and dried fruit.
Prunello
(Pru*nel"lo) n. [F. prunelle, dim. of prune. See Prune a plum.] A species of dried plum; prunelle.
Pruner
(Prun"er) n.
1. One who prunes, or removes, what is superfluous.
2. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of beetles whose larvæ gnaw the branches of trees so as to cause
them to fall, especially the American oak pruner (Asemum mœstum), whose larva eats the pith of oak
branches, and when mature gnaws a circular furrow on the inside nearly to the bark. When the branches
fall each contains a pupa.
Pruniferous
(Pru*nif"er*ous) a. [L. prunum a plum + -ferous.] Bearing plums.
Pruning
(Prun"ing) n.
1. The act of trimming, or removing what is superfluous.
