pluck up

pluck up
a) To remove something by plucking from e.g. the ground.

Let none associate with the soul-destroying Manicheans, who by decoctions of chaff counterfeit the sad look of fasting, who speak evil of the Creator of meats, and greedily devour the daintiest, who teach that the man who plucks up this or that herb is changed into it. For if he who crops herbs or any vegetable is changed into the same, into how many will husbandmen and the tribe of gardeners be changed?

b) to become more cheerful

“If I could have settled down,” I said to Biddy, plucking up the short grass within reach, much as I had once upon a time pulled my feelings out of my hair and kicked them into the brewery wall,


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Synonyms:
, , , , / (as courage),


Look at other dictionaries:

  • plück — plück·er; …   English syllables

  • Pluck — Pluck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plucked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Plucking}.] [AS. pluccian; akin to LG. & D. plukken, G. pfl[ u]cken, Icel. plokka, plukka, Dan. plukke, Sw. plocka. ?27.] 1. To pull; to draw. [1913 Webster] Its own nature . . . plucks on… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pluck — pluck·er; pluck·i·ly; pluck·i·ness; pluck·less; pluck; pluck·less·ness; …   English syllables

  • pluck — [pluk] vt. [ME plukken < OE pluccian, akin to Ger pflücken < VL * piluccare, to pull out (> Fr éplucher), for L pilare, to deprive of hair < pilus, hair: see PILE2] 1. to pull off or out; pick 2. to drag or snatch; grab 3. to pull… …   English World dictionary

  • pluck´i|ly — pluck|y «PLUHK ee», adjective, pluck|i|er, pluck|i|est. having or showing courage: »a plucky dog. SYNONYM(S): brave, mettlesome, spirited. –pluck´i|ly …   Useful english dictionary

  • pluck|y — «PLUHK ee», adjective, pluck|i|er, pluck|i|est. having or showing courage: »a plucky dog. SYNONYM(S): brave, mettlesome, spirited. –pluck´i|ly …   Useful english dictionary

  • Pluck — Pluck, n. 1. The act of plucking; a pull; a twitch. [1913 Webster] 2. [Prob. so called as being plucked out after the animal is killed; or cf. Gael. & Ir. pluc a lump, a knot, a bunch.] The heart, liver, and lights of an animal. [1913 Webster] 3 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pluck — Pluck, v. i. To make a motion of pulling or twitching; usually with at; as, to pluck at one s gown. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pluck — (v.) late O.E. ploccian pull off, cull, from W.Gmc. *plokken (Cf. M.L.G. plucken, M.Du. plocken, Flem. plokken), perhaps from V.L. *piluccare (Cf. O.Fr. peluchier, late 12c.), a frequentative, ultimately from L. pilare pull out hair, from pilus… …   Etymology dictionary

  • pluck — [n] person’s resolution, courage backbone*, boldness, bravery, dauntlessness, determination, grit, guts*, hardihood, heart*, intestinal fortitude*, intrepidity, mettle, moxie*, nerve, resolution, spirit, spunk; concept 411 Ant. cowardice,… …   New thesaurus

  • 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)… …   English terms dictionary

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