pluck
pronunciation
How to pronounce pluck in British English:
UK [plʌk]
How to pronounce pluck in American English:
US [plʌk]
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- Noun:
- the trait of showing courage and determination in spite of possible loss or injury
- the act of pulling and releasing a taut cord
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- Verb:
- pull or pull out sharply
- 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
- strip of feathers
- look for and gather
Word Origin
- pluck
- pluck: [OE] Pluck is a widespread Germanic word (Flemish has plokken, Swedish plocka, and Danish plukke, and German and Dutch the closely related pflücken and plukken), but it is ultimately of Latin origin. Prehistoric Germanic *plukkōn was acquired from a Vulgar Latin *piluccāre (source also of Old French peluchier ‘pluck’ – from which English gets plush [16] – and Italian piluccare ‘pluck’), a derivative of Latin pīlus ‘hair’ (source of English depilatory, pile ‘nap’, etc).The use of the noun pluck for ‘courage’ originated in the 18th century from an earlier literal application to the ‘heart (and other internal organs) of a slaughtered animal’, which in turn was based on the notion of their being ‘plucked’ or removed from the carcase.=> depilatory, pile, plush
- pluck (n.)
- c. 1400, "act of plucking," from pluck (v.). Meaning "courage, boldness" (1785), originally in pugilism slang, is a figurative use from earlier meaning "heart, viscera" (1610s) as that which is "plucked" from slaughtered livestock. Perhaps influenced by figurative use of the verb in pluck up (one's courage, etc.), attested from c. 1300.
- pluck (v.)
- late Old English ploccian, pluccian "pull off, cull," from West Germanic *plokken (cognates: Middle Low German plucken, Middle Dutch plocken, Dutch plukken, Flemish plokken, German pflücken), perhaps from Vulgar Latin *piluccare (source of Old French peluchier, late 12c.; Italian piluccare), a frequentative, ultimately from Latin pilare "pull out hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)). But despite the similarities, OED finds difficulties with this and cites gaps in historical evidence. Related: Plucked; plucking. To pluck a rose, an expression said to be used by women for going to the necessary house, which in the country usually stands in the garden. [F. Grose, "Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," 1785]This euphemistic use is attested from 1610s. To pluck up "summon up" is from c. 1300.
Example
- 1. Pluck this little flower and take it , delay not !
- 2. I want to pluck it from his coat and plunge it , voodoo-style , into his chest .
- 3. During the holidays , I am always thankful for that backyard rosemary when I pluck it from the bush and add it to apple pies , roasted meats , and white-bean bruschetta .
- 4. But two-eyes climbed up , and the golden apples did get out of her way , but came into her hand of their own accord , so that she could pluck them one after the other , and brought a whole apronful down with her .
- 5. A hunter brought in pheasant and hare and we had to pluck and clean them .