pluck

I UK [plʌk] / US verb
Word forms "pluck":
present tense I/you/we/they pluck he/she/it plucks present participle plucking past tense plucked past participle plucked
*

1) [transitive] to pull the feathers off the body of a dead bird so that it can be cooked

a plucked chicken

a) mainly literary to pull a piece of fruit from a tree, or a flower or leaf from a plant

b) to pull a hair from your face, head, or body using your nails or a pair of tweezers

I plucked a grey hair from my head.

2) [intransitive/transitive] music to pull the strings of a musical instrument with your fingers in order to produce a sound

He plucked absent-mindedly at the guitar strings.

3) [transitive] to pick up something quickly with your fingers

4) [transitive] to take someone quickly from a particular place or situation

Ships in the area plucked 45 people from the sea.

pluck someone to safety:

Rescue crews plucked them to safety.

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pluck something out of/from the air — to say the first number, date, fact etc that you think of without knowing whether it is correct

"75% of people agree with me," I said, plucking a figure out of the air.

pluck up (the) courage (to do something) — to persuade yourself to do something that frightens you

He finally plucked up the courage to speak to her.

- pluck someone from obscurity

- pluck your eyebrows

Phrasal verbs:

- pluck at

II UK [plʌk] / US noun [uncountable]
Word forms "pluck":
singular pluck plural plucks

the quality of being brave and determined