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pluck
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- pronunciation:
- pluhk
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
plucks, plucking, plucked |
| definition 1: |
to take hold of with the fingers and pull off or out; pick.
She plucked an apple from the tree.- synonyms:
- gather, pick
- similar words:
- draw, extract, pinch, pull, uproot, yank
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| definition 2: |
to remove the feathers of.
Pluck the goose before cooking it.- similar words:
- dress, strip
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| definition 3: |
to play (the string of an instrument) by pulling and releasing.
She plucked the harpstrings.- synonyms:
- pick, plunk, thrum
- similar words:
- finger, strum, twang
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| definition 4: |
to make a grasping and releasing motion upon.
He keeps plucking his sleeve nervously.- synonyms:
- twitch
- similar words:
- clutch, grasp, pull, tug, tweak
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| definition 5: |
to grab and remove quickly.
He plucked the wounded bird from the cat's mouth.- synonyms:
- jerk, snatch, tear, wrench, wrest, yank
- similar words:
- grab, pull, remove, seize, swoop
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| related words: |
harvest, twitch, withdraw |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition: |
to tug or pull (often fol. by "at").
She plucked at his sleeve to get his attention.- synonyms:
- clutch, grasp, pull, seize, tug, twitch
- similar words:
- grab, jerk, snatch, tear, wrench, yank
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| related words: |
tug, twitch |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
the act of plucking.
- synonyms:
- grab, pull, snatch, tug, tweak, twitch
- similar words:
- jerk, seizure, tear, wrench, yank
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| definition 2: |
strong resolve, courage, or spirit in spite of difficulty.
It took pluck for a woman to pursue her own career in those days, especially one in a profession that had never hired women.- synonyms:
- fortitude, grit, hardihood, moxie, spunk, will
- similar words:
- determination, fight, guts, heart, mettle, nerve, resolve, spine, spirit, strength, tenacity, valor
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| related words: |
application, courage, daring, grab, vigor, will |
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| derivation: |
plucker (n.) |
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