pluck

  • verb 1 take hold of (something) and quickly remove it from its place. 2 pull out (a hair, feather, etc.) 3 pull the feathers from (a bird’s carcass) to prepare it for cooking. 4 pull at or twitch. 5 sound (a stringed musical instrument) with one’s finger or a plectrum. 6 (pluck up) summon up (courage) in order to do something frightening.

  • noun 1 spirited and determined courage. 2 the heart, liver, and lungs of an animal as food.

  — ORIGIN Old English.

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