pluck

CEFRC1

/plʌk/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To pull something quickly or remove hair or feathers.

  2. 02

    noun

    Courage and determination.

Examples

  • Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck.

  • She gave a pluck at my elbow.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To play (a single string on a musical instrument) by pulling and then releasing it, such as on a guitar.

  2. To take or remove (someone) quickly from a particular place or situation.

  3. To pull something sharply; to pull something out

More examples

In context

  • Tom says he can pluck a chicken in less than ten minutes.

  • She plucked the phone from her bag and dialled.

  • Whereas a piano strikes the string, a harpsichord plucks it.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The young girl showed great blank by facing her fear of the dark alone.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English plucken, plukken, plockien, from Old English pluccian, ploccian (“to pluck, pull away, tear”), also Old English plyċċan ("to pluck, pull, snatch; pluck with desire"), from Proto-West Germanic *plukkōn, from Proto-Germanic *plukkōną, *plukkijaną (“to pluck”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Perhaps related to Old English pullian (“to pull, draw; pluck off; snatch”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian plukje (“to pluck”), West Frisian plôkje (“to pick, pluck”), Dutch plukken (“to pluck”), Limburgish plógte (“to pluck”), Low German plukken (“to pluck”), German pflücken (“to pluck, pick”), Danish and Norwegian plukke (“to pick”), Swedish plocka (“to pick, pluck, cull”), Icelan...