prinking
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Dressing over nicely: prinked up as if he came out of a bandbox, or fit to sit upon a cupboard's head.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “prinking” mean?
Dressing over nicely: prinked up as if he came out of a bandbox, or fit to sit upon a cupboard's head.
Is “prinking” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.