pluck
pluck Lexical Profile
pluck Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To take hold of something and quickly remove it from its place (especially fruit, flowers, or hairs).
"He reached up to pluck a ripe peach from the lowest branch of the tree."
To sound the strings of a musical instrument with the fingers or a plectrum.
"The harpist began to pluck the strings softly to introduce the main melody."
To strip the feathers from a bird carcass in preparation for cooking.
"The farmhands had to pluck the geese before taking them to the winter market."
To rescue or remove someone suddenly from a dangerous or humble situation.
"A coast guard helicopter managed to pluck the stranded sailors from the sinking vessel."
• noun
Spirited and determined courage in the face of difficulty or danger.
"It took a great deal of pluck for the young mountaineer to complete the ascent during the blizzard."
A quick, sharp pull or tug at something.
"She felt a gentle pluck at her sleeve as her toddler tried to get her attention."
The heart, liver, and lungs of an animal slaughtered for food.
"Traditional Scottish haggis is prepared using a sheep's pluck minced with oatmeal, suet, and spices."
• Rhymes for pluck
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English pluccian, meaning to pull off or gather, likely borrowed from Vulgar Latin piluccare (to pick out hairs), derived from Latin pilus (hair). The noun sense of spirited courage developed in the 18th century via boxing slang, from the earlier butcher's term for an animal's heart, liver, and lungs, which were plucked out together from the carcass.