Basic Details
Word: Prune
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To cut off or remove unnecessary parts of something, usually to make it healthier or improve its appearance.
Synonyms: Trim, cut back, shorten
Antonyms: Add, enlarge, extend
Idioms and Phrases
- Prune the excess: To remove unnecessary or unhelpful parts of something. Example: "It's time to prune the excess from this project to make it more focused."
- Prune your tree: To carefully select what to keep and what to let go in life. Example: "Sometimes you need to prune your tree and let go of things that no longer serve you."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The gardener decided to prune the rose bushes in early spring to encourage more blooms.
Example 2: Before submitting his essay, he took time to prune unnecessary sentences that didnt add to his argument.
Example 3: To maintain a healthy tree, its crucial to prune away the dead branches each year.
Fun Fact
Did you know that the process of pruning not only helps plants grow better but is also believed to date back thousands of years? Ancient Egyptians were among the first to practice pruning techniques on their fruit trees.
Famous Quote
"Just as a gardener prunes a tree to encourage growth, so must we prune our lives of distractions to foster our true potential." Unknown
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "prune" mean?
a) To water plants
b) To cut off unnecessary parts
c) To plant seeds
d) To dig soil
Answer: b) To cut off unnecessary parts
2. Which of these is a synonym of "prune"?
a) Enlarge
b) Trim
c) Decorate
d) Multiply
Answer: b) Trim
3. Which word is an antonym of "prune"?
a) Cut back
b) Add
c) Remove
d) Shorten
Answer: b) Add
4. Which sentence uses "prune" correctly?
a) The gardener will prune the flowers to help them grow.
b) The gardener will prune the flowers to make them sad.
c) The gardener will prune the flowers to cover the ground.
d) The gardener will prune the flowers to harvest fruits.
Answer: a) The gardener will prune the flowers to help them grow.
5. What does the idiom "prune the excess" mean?
a) To add more things to a project
b) To remove unnecessary parts
c) To make something bigger
d) To leave everything as it is
Answer: b) To remove unnecessary parts
