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Delete vs Prune - What's the difference?

delete | prune |

As nouns the difference between delete and prune

is that delete is a key that may be pressed to delete something (including text or files) from a computer while prune is (obsolete) a plum.

As a verb prune is

to remove excess material from a tree or shrub; to trim, especially to make more healthy or productive.

delete

English

(Deletion)

Noun

(-)
    • I lost the file when I accidentally hit delete .
  • A remainder of a music or video release.

    • Verb

    (delet)
  • To remove, get rid of or erase, especially written or printed material, or data on a computer.
  • (computer) To hide, conceal

    • Synonyms

    * (to get rid of) erase, strike, terminate, cease existence, remove, rub out, strike out, obliterate, cancel, cross out, score, scrub, scrap, scratch, expunge, eliminate, blue-pencil, exclude, squelch

    Antonyms

    * (to get rid of) insert, maintain

    Related terms

    * deleterious * deletion * delible

    prune

    English

    (wikipedia prune)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) prune, from (etyl) , a loanword from a language of Asia Minor.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A plum.
  • The dried, wrinkled fruit of certain species of plum.
  • (slang) An old woman, especially a wrinkly one.
    • Synonyms
    * see
    Derived terms
    * German prune * prune tree * pruney * South African prune

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) 'to round-off the front'.

    Verb

    (prun)
  • To remove excess material from a tree or shrub; to trim, especially to make more healthy or productive.
    • A good grape grower will prune his vines once a year.
  • * Milton
    • Our delightful task / To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers.
  • (figuratively) To cut down or shorten (by the removal of unnecessary material).
    • to prune a budget, or an essay
  • * Francis Bacon
    • taking into consideration how they [laws] are to be pruned and reformed
  • (obsolete) To preen; to prepare; to dress.
  • * Shakespeare
    • His royal bird / Prunes the immortal wing and cloys his beak.
    (Dryden)
    (Spenser)
    Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Anagrams

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