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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Taking into consideration how they [ laws ] are to be pruned and reformed. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our delightful task
To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cut off or cut out, as useless parts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Horace will our superfluous branches prune. Waller. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To preen; to prepare; to dress. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

His royal bird
Prunes the immortal wing and cloys his beak. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To dress; to prink; -used humorously or in contempt. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 (Prunus domestica), which produces prunes. (b) The West Indian tree, Prunus occidentalis. --
South African prune (Bot.), the edible fruit of a sapindaceous tree (Pappea Capensis). [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., perhaps from G. bræune quinsy, croup. ] (Med.) (a) Angina, or angina pectoris. (b) Thrush. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prunella salt (Old Chem.), niter fused and cast into little balls. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. prunelle, dim. of prune. See Prune a plum. ] A species of dried plum; prunelle. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who prunes, or removes, what is superfluous. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]