Pluck
[plʌk]
Definition
(noun.) the act of pulling and releasing a taut cord.
(verb.) strip of feathers; 'pull a chicken'; 'pluck the capon'.
(verb.) pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion; 'he plucked the strings of his mandolin'.
(verb.) pull or pull out sharply; 'pluck the flowers off the bush'.
Editor: Seth--From WordNet
Definition
(v. t.) To pull; to draw.
(v. t.) Especially, to pull with sudden force or effort, or to pull off or out from something, with a twitch; to twitch; also, to gather, to pick; as, to pluck feathers from a fowl; to pluck hair or wool from a skin; to pluck grapes.
(v. t.) To strip of, or as of, feathers; as, to pluck a fowl.
(v. t.) To reject at an examination for degrees.
(v. i.) To make a motion of pulling or twitching; -- usually with at; as, to pluck at one's gown.
(n.) The act of plucking; a pull; a twitch.
(n.) The heart, liver, and lights of an animal.
(n.) Spirit; courage; indomitable resolution; fortitude.
(n.) The act of plucking, or the state of being plucked, at college. See Pluck, v. t., 4.
(v. t.) The lyrie.
Typist: Loretta
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. Pull (quickly), twitch, snatch, jerk, yerk.
n. Spirit, courage, resolution, manhood, indomitableness, backbone, determination, energy, force, mettle, nerve, hardihood, force of character, strength of will.
Checked by Calvin
Definition
v.t. to pull off or away: to snatch: to strip as a fowl of its feathers: (slang) to reject an examinee as inefficient.—n. a single act of plucking.—n. Pluck′er.—Pluck off (Shak.) to abate from the rank; Pluck up to pull out by the roots: to summon up as courage.
n. the heart liver and lungs of an animal—hence heart courage spirit.—adjs. Plucked Pluck′y having pluck or spirit.—adv. Pluck′ily.—n. Pluck′iness.
Editor: Tamara
Examples
- He deserved it all--all labour, all devotion, all sacrifice; I would have toiled up a scaleless Alp, to pluck a flower that would please him. Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- If there's the pluck of a man among you three, you'll help me. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- They pluck his feathers now and then and clip his wings, but he sings, he sings! Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- However,' said Fledgeby, appearing to pluck up his spirits, 'we'll hope it's not so bad as that comes to. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- Or haven't you pluck enough to go on? Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- Still, in spite of this latent weakness of character, which always developed itself in time of trouble, he was a brave man, with plenty of pluck. Fergus Hume. The Island of Fantasy.
- How could she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and pluck her husband out from among the ruffians who surrounded him? Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
- I suppose,' with a jerk, 'you have sometimes plucked a pear before it was ripe, Master Copperfield? Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- She plucked and tore at her arms for a little time; but I held her hands, and she soon dropped off. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- Able men who have passed their examinations will do these things sometimes, not less than the plucked Fred. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- Her rich black hair was all about her face, her face was flushed and hot, and as she sobbed and raged, she plucked at her lips with an unsparing hand. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- He's only been plucked twice--so was I--but he's had the advantages of Oxford and a university education. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- By Gad, sir, he explained to the public in general, what a good plucked one that boy of mine is--what a trump he is! William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- He had plucked it off again. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- Instead of that, said I, plucking up more grass and chewing a blade or two, see how I am going on. Charles Dickens. Great Expectations.
- Instruments in which the strings are set into motion by plucking--harp, guitar, mandolin. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- You're a woman,' retorted Brittles, plucking up a little. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
Typist: Manfred