Definition of pluck
transitive verb
1 : to pull or pick off or out
2a : to remove something (such as hairs) from by or as if by plucking pluck one's eyebrowsb : rob, fleece
3 : to move, remove, or separate forcibly or abruptly plucked the child from the middle of the street
4a : to pick, pull, or grasp atb : to play by sounding the strings with the fingers or a pick
intransitive verb
: to make a sharp pull or twitch
plucker
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of pluck in a Sentence
My sister plucked a white hair from my head.
The hunter plucked the bird's feathers.
plucking petals off a flower
Firefighters plucked the child from the top floor of the burning building.
He'd been plucked from obscurity and thrust into the national spotlight.
a cat that was plucked off the city's streets last winter
He plucked a stone out of the river.
Origin and Etymology of pluck
Middle English, from Old English pluccian; akin to Middle High German pflücken to pluck
First Known Use: before 12th century
pluck
Definition of pluck
1 : an act or instance of plucking or pulling
2 : the heart, liver, lungs, and trachea of a slaughtered animal especially as an item of food
3 : courageous readiness to fight or continue against odds : dogged resolution
Examples of pluck in a Sentence
It takes pluck to do what she did.
She showed pluck in getting up on stage.
15th Century
First Known Use of pluck
15th century
PLUCK Defined for English Language Learners
pluck
playDefinition of pluck for English Language Learners
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: to pull (something) quickly to remove it
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: to remove some or all of the feathers or hairs from (something)
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: to take (someone or something) away from a place or situation suddenly or by force
pluck
Definition of pluck for English Language Learners
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: a quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult : courage and determination
PLUCK Defined for Kids
Definition of pluck for Students
plucked
;plucking
Learn More about pluck
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See words that rhyme with pluck Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pluck Spanish Central: Translation of pluck Nglish: Translation of pluck for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pluck for Arabic speakers
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