Words: pluck, n. and v.

Christopher Hawtree
Friday 19 February 1999 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

CURIOUS, A word's diversity. Pluck is not only the entrails of an animal ground into sausages, but also an act of picking and feat of courage. One is restless until it's settled. Johnson posits a Saxon origin, ploccian, and notes, "It is very generally and licentiously used, particularly by Shakespeare." Courage - pluck up heart - is linked, but as for "the heart, liver and other lights of an animal", he moots Erse, plughk - "I know not whether derived from the English, rather than the English from the Erse."

The OED takes a more scientific approach, and the word fills several fascinating pages, which add Seventies black slang for wine, and the age- old pluck a rose - women's euphemism for urination when the privy was in the garden.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in