| 释义 |
pluck
I. \ˈplək\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English plucken, from Old English pluccian; akin to Middle Dutch plucken, plocken to pluck, Middle High German pflücken, pflocken; all probably from a prehistoric West Germanic word borrowed from (assumed) Vulgar Latin piluccare to pick, clean — more at plush
transitive verb
1. : to pull or pick off or out : gather by picking
< pluck feathers from a fowl >
< pluck grapes >
2. : to remove something from by or as if picking or pulling off or out: as
a.
(1) : to so remove a natural covering (as of feathers, hair, or wool) from the body of
< pluck a chicken before cleaning >
also : to trim the hair of (a dog) with a stripping knife
(2) : to free (a pelt) from guard hairs in processing
(3) : to shape (an eyebrow) by pulling some of the hairs
b. : rob, plunder, fleece
3.
a. : to move or separate forcibly (as by pulling, dragging, snatching) — used with adverbs expressive of direction (as out, from, down, apart)
< plucked the map down from the wall >
< plucking the portiere aside >
< plucked him back from danger >
b.
(1) : to tear down : demolish — usually used with down
< the chapel was plucked down by the inhabitants of the village >
(2) : to make humble : bring low — usually used with down
c. : to tear to pieces : pull apart : dissever, rive
< a violent wind plucked the sails to bits >
4.
a. : to handle with a picking or pulling motion
< a sick child plucking at the bedclothes >
especially : to pull sharply or with sudden force
< plucked the strings of his guitar >
b. : to seize (as a person) by a part of the body or clothing
< plucked him by the sleeve to catch his attention >
c. : to make (as a musical instrument) sound by plucking
5.
a. Britain : to reject (as a candidate for a degree or position) for some deficiency or misdemeanor (as for failure to satisfactorily pass an examination)
< expected to be plucked on his tripos >
b. : to select (a military officer) for involuntary retirement
< plucked after 20 years of service and sent into involuntary retirement >
c. : to remove (a person) from one situation in life and transfer him to another
< plucked from his prosaic routine by the draft >
especially : to draft from a position of lesser to one of greater responsibility
< the convention plucked him from the pastorate to head the foreign mission board >
6. of a glacier : to break loose and bear away (solid rock) in large masses — compare abrade
intransitive verb
1.
a. : drag
b. obsolete : grab, steal
c. : pick vi 5
< a paper that plucks badly >
2. : to make a sharp pull or twitch : tug — usually used with at
< plucking at the folds of her skirt >
II. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from plucken, v.
1.
a. : an act of plucking or pulling; especially : a quick or sudden and forcible pull (as a twitch, tug, or jerk)
b. obsolete : set-to : bout, go
2.
a. : the heart, liver, lungs, and windpipe of a slaughtered animal especially as an item of food
b. : the corresponding parts of a human cadaver
3. : something that is plucked or used in plucking
< spun out a small pluck of wool >
< lost the pluck for his ukelele >
4. : spirit, courage, resolution, nerve
5. : the condition of being plucked; especially Britain : failure in an examination
6. : distinctness, sharpness, boldness — used of a picture, drawing, or photograph
Synonyms: see fortitude |