pluck
[verb]
Synonyms:
- pull out or off, collect, draw, gather, harvest, pick
- tug, catch, clutch, jerk, pull at, snatch, tweak, yank
- strum, finger, pick, twang
[noun]
Synonyms:
- courage, backbone, boldness, bottle (Brit. slang), bravery, grit, guts (informal), nerve

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. pluck¹ /plʌk/ verb
[Language: Old English; Origin: pluccian]

1. PULL SOMETHING [transitive] written to pull something quickly in order to remove it
pluck something from/off etc something
He plucked a couple of plastic bags from the roll.
Reaching up, she plucked an apple off the tree.

2. pluck your eyebrows to make your eyebrows the shape you want, by pulling out some of the hairs

3. TAKE SOMEBODY/SOMETHING AWAY [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to take someone away from a place or situation that is dangerous or unpleasant in a quick and unexpected way
pluck somebody/something from/out of something
Some refugee children were plucked out of the country in a number of mercy missions.
She was plucked from obscurity (=made suddenly famous) by a Hollywood film producer.
Three survivors were plucked to safety after being in the sea for 7 hours.

4. CHICKEN [transitive] to pull the feathers off a dead chicken or other bird before cooking it

5. pluck up (the) courage (to do something) to force yourself to be brave and do something you are afraid of doing:
He finally plucked up enough courage to ask her out.

6. MUSIC [intransitive and transitive] to pull the strings of a musical instrument
pluck at
Someone was plucking at the strings of an old guitar.

7. pluck something out of the air (also pluck something out of thin air) to say or suggest a number, name etc that you have just thought of, without thinking about it carefully:
I’m plucking a figure out of the air here, but let’s say it’ll cost about $15,000.
pluck at something phrasal verb
to pull something quickly several times with your fingers, especially because you are nervous or to attract attention:
Kitty’s hands plucked at her black cotton skirt.
The little boy plucked at her sleeve.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. pluck² noun [uncountable]
old-fashioned courage and determination:
It takes a lot of pluck to stand up to a bully.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲