prink

== English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈpɹɪŋk/, [ˈpʰɹʷɪŋk] (pre-/ŋ/-tensing) (Upper Midwestern US, Northwestern US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈpɹiŋk/, [ˈpʰɹʷiŋk] ~ [ˈpʰɹʷɪ̝ŋk] Rhymes: -ɪŋk Hyphenation: prink === Etymology 1 === From Middle English prinken (“to wink, signal with the eye”), from prinke, prinche (“a wink, twinkling of the eye, momentary gesture”), from Old English princ (“a wink”). More at pry. ==== Verb ==== prink (third-person singular simple present prinks, present participle prinking, simple past and past participle prinked) (obsolete or dialectal) to give a wink; to wink. === Etymology 2 === Perhaps alteration (due to primp) of prank (“to deck, adorn”), from Middle English pranken (“to trim”), or from Middle Dutch prinken (“to deck for show, parade in fine apparel”) (from pronk (“show, display”) or from Middle Low German prunken (from prank (“display”)). Cognate with Middle Dutch pronken (“to flaunt”), German Prunk (“a show, parade, splendour”), Danish and Swedish prunk. ==== Noun ==== prink (plural prinks) The act of adjusting one's dress or appearance; the act of sprucing oneself up. ==== Verb ==== prink (third-person singular simple present prinks, present participle prinking, simple past and past participle prinked) To look, gaze. To dress finely, primp, preen, spruce up. To strut, put on pompous airs, be pretentious. To improve; to make stylish. ===== Synonyms ===== prank ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 3 === Contraction of pre-drink. ==== Verb ==== prink (third-person singular simple present prinks, present participle prinking, simple past and past participle prinked) (UK, university slang, humorous) To pre-drink.