verb / noun
groom
To clean and tend a person's or animal's outward condition.
She grooms her dog every morning to keep its coat clean.
Etymology
The noun developed from a term for a boy or attendant to a worker caring for horses. The verb names that attentive cleaning and tending, extended to people and other animals.
More examples
- The cat grooms itself after eating.
- He carefully groomed his beard before the interview.
- The groom brushes the horse before its morning ride.
Forms
groom · grooms · groomed · grooming
groomer noun — Someone who cleans and trims animals' coats.