n.
Pronunciation: ' pl ə k
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pluccian; akin to Middle High German pflücken to pluck
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1 : to pull or pick off or out
2 a : to remove something (as hairs) from by or as if by plucking < pluck one's eyebrows> b : ROB , FLEECE
3 : to move, remove, or separate forcibly or abruptly < pluck ed the child from the middle of the street>
4 a : to pick, pull, or grasp at b : to play by sounding the strings with the fingers or a pick
intransitive verb : to make a sharp pull or twitch
– pluck · er noun