pluck

About 1.20 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To pull something sharply; to pull something out

   She plucked the phone from her bag and dialled.

2. verb To take or remove (someone) quickly from a particular place or situation.
3. verb To play (a single string on a musical instrument) by pulling and then releasing it, such as on a guitar.

   Whereas a piano strikes the string, a harpsichord plucks it.

4. verb To remove feathers from (a bird).
5. verb To rob, steal from; to cheat or swindle (someone).
6. verb To play a string instrument pizzicato.

   Plucking a bow instrument may cause a string to break.

7. verb To pull or twitch sharply.

   to pluck at somebody's sleeve

8. verb To reject (a student) after they fail an examination for a degree.

Similar words

tear pull pull off plunk tweak hustle pick off cull deplume deplumate

Often followed by

the and up out it a them to of

Word family

plucked plucker pluckers plucking plucks