prune Definition
- 1a dried plum
- 2cut away dead or overgrown branches or stems from (a tree, shrub, or bush)
Using prune: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "prune" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
I like to eat prunes as a snack.
Example
The gardener pruned the rose bushes.
Example
It's important to prune fruit trees regularly.
Example
She pruned the manuscript before submitting it for publication.
prune Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using prune
Example
He pruned away the excess verbiage from his writing to make it more concise.
Example
The company had to prune the budget in order to stay afloat during the economic downturn.
Example
The CEO decided to prune the ranks of middle management in order to streamline the company's operations.
Phrases with prune
Example
She drinks a glass of prune juice every morning to help with her digestion.
prune-faced
having a sour or disapproving expression on one's face
Example
The teacher always looked prune-faced when she caught students misbehaving.
Example
After spending hours in the pool, her fingers had turned into prune fingers.
Origins of prune
from Old French 'prune', from Latin 'prunum', meaning 'plum'
Summary: prune in Brief
The term 'prune' [pruːn] refers to a dried plum, often eaten as a snack, and the act of cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems from a tree, shrub, or bush. Examples include 'I like to eat prunes as a snack.' and 'The gardener pruned the rose bushes.' Phrases like 'prune juice' and 'prune-faced' extend the term's usage, while idioms like 'prune the budget' and 'prune the ranks' denote cutting down on expenses or reducing the number of people in a group or organization.