Definitions for: Prune


[n] dried plum
[v] weed out unwanted or unnecessary things; "We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet"
[v] cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of"dress the plants in the garden"



Webster (1913) Definition: 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).

Synonyms: clip, crop, cut, cut back, dress, lop, rationalise, rationalize, snip, trim

See Also: bring down, curb, curtail, cut back, cut down, cut out, disbud, do away with, dried fruit, eliminate, get rid of, pinch, poll, pollard, reduce, restrict, shear, thin out, top, trim, trim back, trim down

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