Pruner

prune ¹  (prn)

n.

1.

a. The partially dried fruit of any of several varieties of the common plum, Prunus domestica.

b. Any kind of plum that can be dried without spoiling.

2. Slang An ill-tempered, stupid, or incompetent person.

intr.v. pruned, prun·ing, prunes Slang

To make a facial expression exhibiting ill temper or disgust: "Their faces prune at the slightest provocation" (James Wolcott).

---

[Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *prna, from Latin prnum, plum.]

---

prune ²  (prn)

v. pruned, prun·ing, prunes

v.tr.

1. To cut off or remove dead or living parts or branches of (a plant, for example) to improve shape or growth.

2. To remove or cut out as superfluous.

3. To reduce: prune a budget.

v.intr.

To remove what is superfluous or undesirable.

---

[Middle English prouinen, from Old French proignier, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *prretundire : Latin pr-, in front; see pro-¹ + Latin rotundus, round (from rota, wheel; see ret- in Indo-European roots).]

---

pruner n.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	pruner - a worker who thins out and trims trees and shrubs; "untouched by the pruner's axe" trimmer worker - a person who works at a specific occupation; "he is a good worker"
	2.	pruner - a long-handled pruning saw with a curved blade at the end and sometimes a clipper; used to prune small trees lopper, pruning hook pruning saw - a handsaw used for pruning trees