pluck
To pull something off or out quickly with your fingers, like hair, feathers, or a flower.
To pull something off, out of, or away from where it is fixed, especially with the fingers, in a quick, sharp movement.
Strong courage and a firm will to keep going when something is hard or dangerous.
Courage and determined spirit, especially when facing difficulties or danger.
To play a guitar, harp, or other string instrument by pulling a string with your finger or a small tool and letting it go.
To make a sound on a stringed instrument by pulling and releasing a string with a finger or a pick.
To quickly take a person or thing out of a bad or unknown situation, often saving or helping them.
To quickly and decisively remove someone or something from a place or situation, especially one that is dangerous, unpleasant, or unknown.
To pull on something again and again, often softly, like a sleeve or piece of cloth.
To pull at something lightly or repeatedly, often in a nervous or gentle way, without necessarily removing it.
One pull and release of a string on an instrument, or the style of doing this.
A single act of pulling and releasing a string on a musical instrument, or the characteristic way this is done.
The heart, lungs, and similar inside parts of a dead animal that people sometimes cook and eat.
The heart, lungs, and sometimes other internal organs of a slaughtered animal, used as food.
- Base: pluck
- Plural: pluck
- Base: pluck
- 3rd Person Singular: plucks
- Present Participle: plucking
- Past: plucked
pluck at
1Pull lightly again and again
To pull on something softly and many times, like a sleeve, cloth, or strings.
- The child kept plucking at his mother’s sleeve.
- He sat in silence, plucking at the loose thread on his shirt.
- She nervously plucked at the edge of the curtain while she waited.
pluck at someone’s heartstrings
1Strongly move someone’s emotions
To make someone feel strong, soft, or sad emotions, often by a story, picture, or music.
- The charity advert really plucked at viewers’ heartstrings.
- The film’s final scene is clearly designed to pluck at your heartstrings.
pluck from the crowd
1Pick one person out of many
To choose one person from a large group of people.
- The magician plucked a volunteer from the crowd.
- One lucky fan was plucked from the crowd to meet the singer backstage.
pluck off
1Remove something from a surface
To remove a small thing from a surface by pulling it away.
- She plucked off a bit of fluff from his jacket.
- He plucked off the dead leaves from the plant.
- I plucked off the sticker and threw it in the bin.
pluck out
1Remove by pulling out
To take something out by pulling it, often with your fingers or a small tool.
- She plucked out a grey hair from her head.
- The dentist had to pluck out a small piece of food stuck between my teeth.
- He carefully plucked out the splinter from her finger.
pluck someone from obscurity
1Make an unknown person noticed
To take a person who is not known and help them become famous or well known.
- The producer plucked her from obscurity and turned her into a star.
- A viral video plucked the band from obscurity and brought them international attention.
pluck something out of thin air
1Produce an idea with no basis
To say an idea, fact, or number suddenly, without planning and without a clear reason or source.
- He didn’t pluck the figure out of thin air; it came from last year’s report.
- I just plucked a name out of thin air when they asked who should go first.
pluck up the courage
1Force yourself to be brave enough
To make yourself feel brave enough to do something that is difficult or scary.
- He finally plucked up the courage to ask her out.
- I need to pluck up the courage to speak to my boss about a raise.
- She plucked up the courage and jumped into the cold water.
pluck up the courage
2gather enough courage to act
To slowly get enough courage to do something that you feel nervous or afraid to do.
- I finally plucked up the courage to call her.
- He plucked up the courage to speak in front of the whole class.
- After months of hesitation, she plucked up the courage and changed careers.