pluck

[[t]plʌ̱k[/t]]

plucks, plucking, plucked

1) VERB If you pluck a fruit, flower, or leaf, you take it between your fingers and pull it in order to remove it from its stalk where it is growing. [WRITTEN]

[V n from n] I plucked a lemon from the tree...

[V n] He plucked a stalk of dried fennel.

2) VERB If you pluck something from somewhere, you take it between your fingers and pull it sharply from where it is. [WRITTEN]

[V n from/out of/off n] He plucked the cigarette from his mouth and tossed it out into the street...

[V n from/out of/off n] He plucked the baby out of my arms...

[V n from/out of/off n] He plucks Brazil nuts off the ground and tosses them into the basket.

3) VERB If you pluck a guitar or other musical instrument, you pull the strings with your fingers and let them go, so that they make a sound.

[V n] Nell was plucking a harp.

4) VERB If you pluck a chicken or other dead bird, you pull its feathers out to prepare it for cooking.

[V n] She looked relaxed as she plucked a chicken.

5) VERB If a woman plucks her eyebrows, she pulls out some of the hairs using tweezers.

[V n] You've plucked your eyebrows at last!

6) VERB: usu passive If someone unknown is given an important job or role and quickly becomes famous because of it, you can say that they have been plucked from obscurity or plucked from an unimportant position. [WRITTEN]

[be V-ed from n] She was plucked from the corps de ballet in her first season at the Birmingham Royal Ballet to take on Juliet...

[V n P] The New York agency plucked Naomi from obscurity as a shop assistant in south London, and turned her into one of the world's top models.

7) VERB: usu passive If someone is rescued from a dangerous situation, you can say that they are plucked from it or are plucked to safety.

[be V-ed from n] A workman was plucked from the roof of a burning power station by a police helicopter last night...

[be V-ed to n] Ten fishermen were plucked to safety from life-rafts yesterday.

8) N-UNCOUNT (approval) If you say that someone has pluck, you mean that they show courage and determination when they are in a difficult or frightening situation.

Little companies are known for their pluck and perseverance, even in the face of a recession.

Syn:

courage, spirit

9) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR to-inf If you pluck up the courage to do something that you feel nervous about, you make an effort to be brave enough to do it.

It took me about two hours to pluck up courage to call.

10) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone plucks a figure, name, or date out of the air, you mean that they say it without thinking much about it before they speak.

Accurate valuations are becoming almost impossible to make. Numbers are simply being plucked out of the air.

Phrasal Verbs:

- pluck at