Prune Meaning
/pɹuːn/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA plum.
nounThe dried, wrinkled fruit of certain species of plum.
Sentence Examples
I cannot prune this tree. It's too high.
I can't prune this tree. It's too tall.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The gardener will carefully ____ the overgrown bushes to encourage new growth in spring.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The gardener used sharp shears to ____ the rose bushes back to encourage new growth in spring.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English prune, from Old French prune, from Vulgar Latin *prūna, feminine singular formed from the neutral plural of Latin prūnum, from Ancient Greek προῦνον (proûnon), variant of προῦμνον (proûmnon, “plum”), a loanword from a language of Asia Minor. Doublet of plum.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"We are not free when we are in the grip of the false conditioning that decrees that we need sex. We are not free if we believe the culture's ominous warnings that we will become "horny" (what a callous, offensive word) and frustrated and neurotic and finally shrivel up into prunes and have to abandon hope of being good, creative, effective people."
— 1970, Dana Densmore, “Without You And Within You”, in No More Fun & Games, volume 4, page 55:
"I hardly left that spot in my pool that month even when my fingers pruned and chlorine dried out my skin."
— 2005, Alycia Ripley, Traveling with an Eggplant, page 111:
"But poore old man, thou prun'ſt a rotten tree, / That cannot ſo much as a bloſſome yeelde"
— c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 191:
"Our delightful task / To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
"taking into consideration how they [laws] are to be pruned and reformed"
— 1605, Francis Bacon, “(please specify |book=1 or 2)”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The gardener will carefully ____ the overgrown bushes to encourage new growth in spring.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The gardener used sharp shears to ____ the rose bushes back to encourage new growth in spring.