plucking

7 definitions • 6 examples

present participle of

to pull something, especially with a sudden movement, in order to remove it:

Caged birds sometimes pluck out their breast feathers.

He plucked the letter from/out of my hand, and ran off with it.

Do you pluck your eyebrows (= remove some of the hairs from them to give them a better shape)?

to remove the feathers from a chicken or other bird so that it can be cooked and eaten

to remove someone suddenly from a situation that is ordinary:

He was plucked from obscurity to star in the film.

to remove someone quickly from a dangerous or difficult situation:

The last passengers were plucked from the ship just seconds before it sank.

to collect flowers by breaking or cutting their stems; pick

to pull and then release the strings of a musical instrument with your finger to play notes:

He sat on the bed, idly plucking (at) the strings of his guitar.