Plucking

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.
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              Its own nature . . . plucks on its own dissolution.
                                                    --Je?. Taylor.
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     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.
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              I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude.
                                                    --Milton.
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              E'en children followed, with endearing wile,
              And plucked his gown to share the good man's smile.
                                                    --Goldsmith.
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     3. To strip of, or as of, feathers; as, to pluck a fowl.
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              They which pass by the way do pluck her. --Ps.
                                                    lxxx.?2.
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     4. (Eng. Universities) To reject at an examination for
        degrees. --C. Bront['e].
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     {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.
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