Pronunciations (3)
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/plʌk/
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/plʊk/
Pronunciation notes
- Ireland
- Northern-England
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plʌk
Verb
To pull something sharply; to pull something out
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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She plucked the phone from her bag and dialled.
The girl stooped to pluck a rose, and as she bent over it, her profile was clearly outlined.
More examples (1)
"I want to bring that date forward. You only get one shot at this, and if I pluck a date from the air, you will judge me by it. So, until I am certain, I'm sticking with the previous date. [...].
To take or remove (someone) quickly from a particular place or situation.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (2)
First of all, he says a lot of the promotions from the ranks are promotions of the sons of officers who have gone wrong , or got "plucked," or what not, and who are brought up again along another road for commissioned rank.
The hardest mission fell to the tanker aircraft, decidedly unglamorous birds, mainly flown by Air Force Reserve crews—most of them plucked from their airline jobs—so rapidly called into service that FAA rules for crew rest time on domestic airlines were quietly violated for the next several weeks.
To play (a single string on a musical instrument) by pulling and then releasing it, such as on a guitar.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Whereas a piano strikes the string, a harpsichord plucks it.
To remove feathers from (a bird).
Usage- Transitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust.
To rob, steal from; to cheat or swindle (someone).
Usage- Archaic
- Transitive
- Examples
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Indeed they seem to consider foreigners as strangers whom they should never see again, and might fairly pluck.
To play a string instrument pizzicato.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Plucking a bow instrument may cause a string to break.
To pull or twitch sharply.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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to pluck at somebody's sleeve
To reject (a student) after they fail an examination for a degree.
Usage- UK usage
- Transitive
- Examples
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[A]mong men likely to be plucked are these for the most part. He that hath no friends, he that hath many friends […].
He went to college, and he got— plucked, I think they call it: and then his uncles wanted him to be a barrister, and study the law […].
More examples (4)
The lists came out; and a dreadful rumour rushed through the university, that Pendennis of Boniface was plucked.
He had been a medical student, and got plucked, his foes declared, in his examination.
I trust that I have never plucked a candidate in the Schools without giving him every opportunity of setting himself right.
—Did you hear the results of the exams? he asked. Griffin was plucked.
Of a glacier: to transport individual pieces of bedrock by means of gradual erosion through freezing and thawing.
Noun
An instance of plucking or pulling sharply.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Those tiny birds are hardly worth the tedious pluck.
More examples (1)
If you find yourself in this position, there is nothing for it but to haul out using external assistance. This may be from a friend who will give you a pluck off the wall, or you may be able to manage from your own resources.
The lungs, heart with trachea and often oesophagus removed from slaughtered animals.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Guts, nerve, fortitude or persistence.
Usage- Figurative
- Informal
- Uncountable
- Examples
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He didn't get far with the attempt, but you have to admire his pluck.
Pen had a very good mare, and rode her with uncommon pluck and grace. He took his fences with great coolness, and yet with judgment, and without bravado.
Cheap wine.
Usage- Slang
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
Noun
the trait of showing courage and determination in spite of possible loss or injury
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
the act of pulling and releasing a taut cord
Verb
pull or pull out sharply
- Examples
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pluck the flowers off the bush
sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity
rip off; ask an unreasonable price
pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion
- Examples
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he plucked the strings of his mandolin
strip of feathers
- Broader terms
- Examples
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pull a chicken
pluck the capon
look for and gather
- Broader terms
- Examples
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pick mushrooms
pick flowers