English Dictionary
Definition of “pluck”
pluck (plʌk
)
Definitions
verb
- (tr) to pull off (feathers, fruit, etc) from (a fowl, tree, etc)
- intr, foll by at to pull or tug
- (tr; foll by off, away, etc) archaic to pull (something) forcibly or violently (from something or someone)
- (tr) to sound (the strings) of (a musical instrument) with the fingers, a plectrum, etc
- (tr) another word for strip1 (sense 7)
- (tr) slang to fleece or swindle
noun
- courage, usually in the face of difficulties or hardship
- a sudden pull or tug
- the heart, liver, and lungs, esp of an animal used for food
Alternative Forms
ˈplucker noun Word Origin
Old English pluccian, plyccan; related to German pflücken
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
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courage,
nerve,
heart,
spirit,
bottle,
resolution,
determination,
guts,
balls,
grit,
bravery,
backbone,
mettle,
boldness,
spunk,
intrepidity,
hardihood,
ballsiness
Usage examples
He was wondering how he could pluck some hairs from the hairbrush on the dressing-table.
Forsythe, Malcolm, The Book Lady (1993)Finally you reach the vegetables, where you scroll down the list to pluck your tomatoes.
New Scientist (1999)While many of us sympathise with the objectives of such organisations and probably admire their pluck , few of us find them sexy.
Australian News Misc (2005)Mountain rescue teams tried to get a helicopter to pluck the pair from the notorious Tower Ridge part of Ben Nevis.
Liverpool Daily Post and Echo (2005)`What you must do,' he said, admiring his handiwork, `is pluck it like a bowcord.
Bernard Cornwell, VAGABOND (2002)
