v. & n.
v. 1 tr. (often foll. by out, off, etc.) remove by picking or pulling out or away. 2 tr. strip (a bird) of feathers. 3 tr. pull at, twitch. 4 intr. (foll. by at) tug or snatch at. 5 tr. sound (the string of a musical instrument) with the finger or plectrum etc. 6 tr. plunder. 7 tr. swindle.
n. 1 courage, spirit. 2 an act of plucking; a twitch. 3 the heart, liver, and lungs of an animal as food. pluck up summon up (one's courage, spirits, etc.). plucker n. pluckless adj.
[ OE ploccian, pluccian, f. Gmc ]