(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
If you ~ a fruit, flower, or leaf, you take it between your fingers and pull it in order to remove it from its stalk where it is growing. (WRITTEN)
I ~ed a lemon from the tree...
He ~ed a stalk of dried fennel.
VERB: V n from n, V n
2.
If you ~ something from somewhere, you take it between your fingers and pull it sharply from where it is. (WRITTEN)
He ~ed the cigarette from his mouth and tossed it out into the street...
VERB: V n from/out of/off n
3.
If you ~ a guitar or other musical instrument, you pull the strings with your fingers and let them go, so that they make a sound.
Nell was ~ing a harp.
VERB: V n
4.
If you ~ a chicken or other dead bird, you pull its feathers out to prepare it for cooking.
She looked relaxed as she ~ed a chicken.
VERB: V n
5.
If a woman ~s her eyebrows, she pulls out some of the hairs using tweezers.
You’ve ~ed your eyebrows at last!
VERB: V n
6.
If someone unknown is given an important job or role and quickly becomes famous because of it, you can say that they have been ~ed from obscurity or ~ed from an unimportant position. (WRITTEN)
She was ~ed from the corps de ballet to take on Juliet...
The agency ~ed Naomi from obscurity and turned her into one of the world’s top models.
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed from n, V n from n
7.
If someone is rescued from a dangerous situation, you can say that they are ~ed from it or are ~ed to safety.
A workman was ~ed from the roof of a burning power station by a police helicopter...
Ten fishermen were ~ed to safety from life-rafts.
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed from n, be V-ed to n
8.
If you ~ up the courage to do something that you feel nervous about, you make an effort to be brave enough to do it.
It took me about two hours to ~ up courage to call.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR to-inf
9.
If you say that someone ~s a figure, name, or date out of the air, you mean that they say it without thinking much about it before they speak.
Is this just a figure she ~ed out of the air?
PHRASE: V inflects