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Groom vs Preen - What's the difference?

groom | preen |

In transitive terms the difference between groom and preen

is that groom is to attempt to gain the trust of a minor or adult with the intention of subjecting them to abusive or exploitative behaviour such as sexual abuse, human trafficking or sexual slavery while preen is to pin; fasten.

As nouns the difference between groom and preen

is that groom is a man who is about to become or has recently become part of a married couple. Short form of bridegroom while preen is a forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth.

As verbs the difference between groom and preen

is that groom is to attend to one's appearance and clothing while preen is to pin; fasten.

groom

English

Etymology 1

1604, short for . Germanic cognates include Icelandic gumi and Norwegian gume. Cognate to (human) from Proto-Indo-European via Latin homo. Second element reanalyzed as groom , "attendant."

Noun

(en noun)
  • A man who is about to become or has recently become part of a married couple. Short form of bridegroom.
  • Derived terms
    * groomdom * groomhood * groomship * groomzilla * child groom
    Coordinate terms
    * bride * bride-to-be
    Synonyms
    * bridegroom

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) grom, , though uncertain as *gr?an? was used typically of plants; its secondary meaning being "to turn green". Alternate etymology describes Middle English grom, grome'' as an alteration of , etc.), with the Middle Dutch and Old Icelandic cognates following similar variation of their respective forms.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who cares for horses.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-01
  • , author=Brian Hayes , title=Father of Fractals , volume=101, issue=1, page=62 , magazine= citation , passage=Toward the end of the war, Benoit was sent off on his own with forged papers; he wound up working as a horse groom at a chalet in the Loire valley. Mandelbrot describes this harrowing youth with great sangfroid.}}
  • One of several officers of the English royal household, chiefly in the lord chamberlain's department.
  • the groom''' of the chamber; the '''groom of the stole
    Synonyms
    * ostler

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To attend to one's appearance and clothing.
  • To care for horses or other animals by brushing and cleaning them.
  • To prepare someone for election or appointment.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=What a waste
  • , date=2013-05-11, volume=407, issue=8835, page=12 , magazine= citation , passage=India is run by gerontocrats and epigones: grey hairs and groomed heirs.}}
  • To prepare a ski slope for skiers
  • To attempt to gain the trust of a minor or adult with the intention of subjecting them to abusive or exploitative behaviour such as sexual abuse, human trafficking or sexual slavery.
  • preen

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) pren, from (etyl) ‘edge’, Albanian brez ‘belt, girdle’). The verb is from (etyl) prenen, from .

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (dialectal)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A forked tool used by clothiers for dressing cloth.
  • (dialectal) pin
  • (dialectal) bodkin; brooch
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To pin; fasten.
  • Etymology 2

    Variant of prune (by influence of preen above) Attested in Chaucer (c. 1395) in the variants preyneth, prayneth, proyneth, prunyht, pruneth , from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (of birds) To groom; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers.
  • To show off, posture, or smarm.
  • * 1993 , Scott Simmon, The Films of D W Griffith
  • His preening self-satisfaction, chest thrown forward as he settles into a chair in his mansion...
  • * 2004 , Jude Deveraux, Counterfeit Lady
  • He preened under her compliments.
  • (UK, dialect, dated) To trim up, as trees.
  • (Halliwell)

    See also

    * primp

    Anagrams

    *