PLUCK

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pluck mean? 

• PLUCK (noun)
  The noun PLUCK has 2 senses:

1. the trait of showing courage and determination in spite of possible loss or injury

2. the act of pulling and releasing a taut cord

  Familiarity information: PLUCK used as a noun is rare.

• PLUCK (verb)
  The verb PLUCK has 6 senses:

1. pull or pull out sharply

2. sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity

3. rip off; ask an unreasonable price

4. pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion

5. strip of feathers

6. look for and gather

  Familiarity information: PLUCK used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PLUCK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The trait of showing courage and determination in spite of possible loss or injury

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

gutsiness; pluck; pluckiness

Hypernyms ("pluck" is a kind of...):

fearlessness (the trait of feeling no fear)

Derivation:

plucky (marked by courage and determination in the face of difficulties or danger; robust and uninhibited)

plucky (showing courage)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of pulling and releasing a taut cord

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("pluck" is a kind of...):

pull; pulling (the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you)

Derivation:

pluck (pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion)

• PLUCK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they pluck    ... he / she / it plucks   
Past simple: plucked   
Past participle: plucked   
-ing form: plucking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pull or pull out sharply

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pick off; pluck; pull off; tweak

Context example:

pluck the flowers off the bush

Hypernyms (to "pluck" is one way to...):

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Verb group:

draw away; draw off; pull off (remove by drawing or pulling)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pluck"):

tweeze (pluck with tweezers)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

hustle; pluck; roll

Hypernyms (to "pluck" is one way to...):

rip; rip off; steal (take without the owner's consent)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Rip off; ask an unreasonable price

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

fleece; gazump; hook; overcharge; pluck; plume; rob; soak; surcharge

Hypernyms (to "pluck" is one way to...):

cheat; chisel; rip off (deprive somebody of something by deceit)

"Pluck" entails doing...:

bill; charge (demand payment)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pluck"):

extort; gouge; rack; squeeze; wring (obtain by coercion or intimidation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pick; pluck; plunk

Context example:

he plucked the strings of his mandolin

Hypernyms (to "pluck" is one way to...):

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pluck"):

twang (pluck (strings of an instrument))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

pluck (the act of pulling and releasing a taut cord)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Strip of feathers

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

deplumate; deplume; displume; pluck; pull; tear

Context example:

pluck the capon

Hypernyms (to "pluck" is one way to...):

strip (remove the surface from)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Look for and gather

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cull; pick; pluck

Context example:

pick flowers

Hypernyms (to "pluck" is one way to...):

collect; garner; gather; pull together (assemble or get together)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pluck"):

mushroom (pick or gather mushrooms)

berry (pick or gather berries)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

As they passed through the castle gate, John plucked at Aylward's sleeve, and the two fell behind.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

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?

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But as I did so the face suddenly disappeared, so suddenly that it seemed to have been plucked away into the darkness of the room.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And she was sent into the kitchen, and made to fetch wood and water, to blow the fire, pluck the poultry, pick the herbs, sift the ashes, and do all the dirty work.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

He turned a dreadful smile to me, and as if with the decision of despair, plucked away the sheet.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The more usual victims are a white cock, which is plucked in pieces alive, or a black goat, whose throat is cut and body burned.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I could do nothing, however, so I plucked up what heart I could and said that we had better hasten, as the afternoon was passing....

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He sprang forward to enter, but the specter plucked him back, and waved threateningly before him a...

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Jim lay silent for a bit, plucking at the short grass with his fingers.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Now and again I stumbled, and it was then that Silver plucked so roughly at the rope and launched at me his murderous glances.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)