spruce
Pronunciation: (sprs), [key]
— n.
- any evergreen, coniferous tree of the genus Picea, of the pine family, having short, angular, needle-shaped leaves attached singly around twigs and bearing hanging cones with persistent scales.
- any of various allied trees, as the Douglas fir and the hemlock spruce.
- the wood of any such tree.
—adj.
- made from the wood of a spruce tree or trees.
- containing or abounding in spruce trees.
spruce
Pronunciation: (sprs), [key]
— adj., v., spruc•er, spruc•est, spruced, spruc•ing.
—adj.
- trim in dress or appearance; neat; smart; dapper.
—v.t.
- to make spruce or smart (often fol. by up): Spruce up the children before the company comes.
—v.i.
- to make oneself spruce (usually fol. by up).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.