to pluck up

to pluck up
Pluck Pluck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plucked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Plucking}.] [AS. pluccian; akin to LG. & D. plukken, G. pfl["u]cken, Icel. plokka, plukka, Dan. plukke, Sw. plocka. ?27.] 1. To pull; to draw. [1913 Webster]

Its own nature . . . plucks on its own dissolution. --Je?. Taylor. [1913 Webster]

2. Especially, to pull with sudden force or effort, or to pull off or out from something, with a twitch; to twitch; also, to gather, to pick; as, to pluck feathers from a fowl; to pluck hair or wool from a skin; to pluck grapes. [1913 Webster]

I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

E'en children followed, with endearing wile, And plucked his gown to share the good man's smile. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]

3. To strip of, or as of, feathers; as, to pluck a fowl. [1913 Webster]

They which pass by the way do pluck her. --Ps. lxxx.?2. [1913 Webster]

4. (Eng. Universities) To reject at an examination for degrees. --C. Bront['e]. [1913 Webster]

{To pluck away}, to pull away, or to separate by pulling; to tear away.

{To pluck down}, to pull down; to demolish; to reduce to a lower state.

{to pluck off}, to pull or tear off; as, to pluck off the skin.

{to pluck up}. (a) To tear up by the roots or from the foundation; to eradicate; to exterminate; to destroy; as, to pluck up a plant; to pluck up a nation. --Jer. xii. 17. (b) To gather up; to summon; as, to pluck up courage. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Pluck — Pluck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plucked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Plucking}.] [AS. pluccian; akin to LG. & D. plukken, G. pfl[ u]cken, Icel. plokka, plukka, Dan. plukke, Sw. plocka. ?27.] 1. To pull; to draw. [1913 Webster] Its own nature . . . plucks on… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pluck — pluck·er; pluck·i·ly; pluck·i·ness; pluck·less; pluck; pluck·less·ness; …   English syllables

  • pluck — [pluk] vt. [ME plukken < OE pluccian, akin to Ger pflücken < VL * piluccare, to pull out (> Fr éplucher), for L pilare, to deprive of hair < pilus, hair: see PILE2] 1. to pull off or out; pick 2. to drag or snatch; grab 3. to pull… …   English World dictionary

  • pluck up courage — ● courage * * * I pluck up (or screw up or take) courage make an effort to do something that frightens one II see courage * * * pluck up (the) courage ◇ If you pluck up (the) courage to do something, you become brave enough to do it …   Useful english dictionary

  • pluck´i|ness — pluck|y «PLUHK ee», adjective, pluck|i|er, pluck|i|est. having or showing courage: »a plucky dog. SYNONYM(S): brave, mettlesome, spirited. –pluck´i|ly …   Useful english dictionary

  • pluck´i|ly — pluck|y «PLUHK ee», adjective, pluck|i|er, pluck|i|est. having or showing courage: »a plucky dog. SYNONYM(S): brave, mettlesome, spirited. –pluck´i|ly …   Useful english dictionary

  • pluck|y — «PLUHK ee», adjective, pluck|i|er, pluck|i|est. having or showing courage: »a plucky dog. SYNONYM(S): brave, mettlesome, spirited. –pluck´i|ly …   Useful english dictionary

  • Pluck — Pluck, n. 1. The act of plucking; a pull; a twitch. [1913 Webster] 2. [Prob. so called as being plucked out after the animal is killed; or cf. Gael. & Ir. pluc a lump, a knot, a bunch.] The heart, liver, and lights of an animal. [1913 Webster] 3 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pluck — Pluck, v. i. To make a motion of pulling or twitching; usually with at; as, to pluck at one s gown. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pluck — (v.) late O.E. ploccian pull off, cull, from W.Gmc. *plokken (Cf. M.L.G. plucken, M.Du. plocken, Flem. plokken), perhaps from V.L. *piluccare (Cf. O.Fr. peluchier, late 12c.), a frequentative, ultimately from L. pilare pull out hair, from pilus… …   Etymology dictionary

  • pluck something out of the air — pluck something out of/from/the air phrase 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. Thesaurus: to guesssynonym Main en …   Useful english dictionary

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