pluck out
B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To quickly pull something out from where it is stuck or growing
Literal meaning: To pluck something and pull it outward
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
To remove something by gripping and pulling it sharply with the fingers
"She plucked out the grey hairs one by one, wincing with each pull."
"Pluck out the beam from your own eye."
— Matthew 7:5, The Bible (King James Version)
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To select and remove someone or something from a group, often suddenly or unexpectedly
"The talent scout plucked the young singer out of obscurity and signed her immediately."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Often used for removing feathers, hairs, thorns, weeds, or teeth. Can also be used figuratively to mean selecting or extracting someone or something from a group. The motion implied is swift and precise.
Commonly used with
feather hair thorn weed splinter eye
Forms
Base
pluck out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
plucks out
he/she/it
Past simple
plucked out
yesterday
Past participle
plucked out
have + pp
-ing form
plucking out
continuous
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