Pluck (Verb)
Meaning 1
Pull or pull out sharply; "pluck the flowers off the bush".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She decided to pluck the ripe strawberries off the bush to make a delicious dessert.
- The chicken will pluck its own feathers out if it gets stressed.
- To get a small amount of honey, the beekeeper learned how to pluck the honeycomb from the hive.
- A musician needs to pluck the guitar strings firmly to hear the tone clearly.
- In his attempt to speed up the process, he began to pluck the wet laundry directly off the washing line.
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Meaning 2
Strip of feathers; "pull a chicken"; "pluck the capon".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She plucked a strip of feathers from the roast chicken before serving it.
- Without hesitation, he agreed to pluck the capon and prepare the traditional dish.
- To avoid any mess, the chef carefully plucked the capon in the kitchen.
- Plucking chickens every week was a chore he disliked but it came with the farming business.
- They learned how to pluck geese at the cooking class and gained valuable skills for handling poultry.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Rip off; ask an unreasonable price.
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- The merchant tried to pluck the tourist by asking for triple the original price of the souvenir.
- The scammer attempted to pluck the victim by charging excessive fees for a service that was usually free.
- The business was accused of trying to pluck its customers by inflating the costs of basic necessities during a time of crisis.
- The tourist felt that the local vendor had plucked them when they were charged an exorbitant amount for a simple meal.
- The company was found guilty of plucking its customers by charging hidden and unnecessary fees for their services.
Synonyms
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Meaning 4
Look for and gather; "pick mushrooms"; "pick flowers".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- We plucked fresh berries for the evening's dessert from the bush near our campsite.
- The children loved to pluck flowers in the meadow and bring them home to their mother.
- Every autumn, we would pluck apples from the tree in our backyard and bake delicious pies.
- In the forest, she carefully plucked a few edible wild mushrooms to add to her evening stew.
- The gardener plucked a handful of fresh mint leaves to make a refreshing salad for the dinner party.
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Meaning 5
Sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity.
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- He tried to pluck her last dollar with his shady investment scheme, but she wisely refused to give it to him.
- The smooth-talking salesman would pluck as much cash as possible from unsuspecting customers.
- The scam artist managed to pluck thousands of dollars from the retiree's life savings.
- She had to be careful not to let the street vendors pluck her wallet during her busy tourist trip.
- He was known to pluck whatever valuables he could find from his employer without being detected.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 6
Pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion; "he plucked the strings of his mandolin".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She carefully plucked a gray hair from her eyebrow.
- The musician plucked the strings of her harp to create a soothing melody.
- He plucked the cherry tomato from the vine and popped it into his mouth.
- The guitarist plucked the strings of his acoustic guitar, letting the sweet notes fill the room.
- As she walked through the garden, she gently plucked a few fresh flowers to bring inside.