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.
3. Spirit; courage; indomitable resolution; fortitude.
Decay of English spirit, decay of manly pluck.
--Thackeray.
4. The act of plucking, or the state of being plucked, at
college. See {Pluck}, v. t., 4.
5. (Zo["o]l.) The lyrie. [Prov. Eng.]
Its own nature . . . plucks on its own dissolution.
--Je?. Taylor.
2. Especially, to pull with sudden force or effort, or to
pull off or out from something, with a twitch; to twitch;
also, to gather, to pick; as, to pluck feathers from a
fowl; to pluck hair or wool from a skin; to pluck grapes.
I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude.
--Milton.
E'en children followed, with endearing wile, And
plucked his gown to share the good man's smile.
--Goldsmith.
3. To strip of, or as of, feathers; as, to pluck a fowl.
They which pass by the way do pluck her. --Ps.
lxxx.?2.
4. (Eng. Universities) To reject at an examination for
degrees. --C. Bront['e].
{To pluck away}, to pull away, or to separate by pulling; to
tear away.
{To pluck down}, to pull down; to demolish; to reduce to a
lower state.
{to pluck off}, to pull or tear off; as, to pluck off the
skin.
{to pluck up}.
(a) To tear up by the roots or from the foundation; to
eradicate; to exterminate; to destroy; as, to pluck up
a plant; to pluck up a nation. --Jer. xii. 17.
(b) To gather up; to summon; as, to pluck up courage.