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Pluck vs Temerity - What's the difference?

pluck | temerity | Synonyms |

Pluck is a synonym of temerity.


As nouns the difference between pluck and temerity

is that pluck is an instance of plucking while temerity is (not countable) reckless boldness; foolish bravery.

As a verb pluck

is (lb) to pull something sharply; to pull something out.

pluck

English

Verb

  • (lb) To pull something sharply; to pull something out
  • :
  • *1900 , , Ch.I:
  • *:The girl stooped to pluck a rose, and as she bent over it, her profile was clearly outlined.
  • To gently play a single string, e.g. on a guitar, violin etc.
  • :
  • (lb) To remove feathers from a bird.
  • *
  • *:Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust.
  • (lb) To rob, fleece, steal forcibly
  • :
  • (lb) To play a string instrument pizzicato
  • :
  • (lb) To pull or twitch sharply.
  • :
  • To reject at an examination for degrees.
  • *1847 , , (Jane Eyre)
  • *:He went to college, and he got— plucked , I think they call it: and then his uncles wanted him to be a barrister, and study the law.
  • Derived terms

    * plucker * plucking * pluck up

    Noun

    (-)
  • An instance of plucking
  • ''Those tiny birds are hardly worth the tedious pluck
  • The lungs, heart with trachea and often oesophagus removed from slaughtered animals.
  • Guts, nerve, fortitude or persistence.
  • He didn't get far with the attempt, but you have to admire his pluck .

    Derived terms

    * plucky

    References

    * * *

    Anagrams

    *

    temerity

    English

    Noun

  • (not countable) Reckless boldness; foolish bravery.
  • * 1569 , Thomas Pearson, trans., "The Second Paradox," in The booke of Marcus Tullius Cicero entituled Paradoxa Stoicorum , T. Marshe (London),
  • Neyther the spightfull temerity and rashnes of variable fortune, nor the envious hart burning and in iurious hatred of mine enemies shold be able once to damnify me.
  • * 1837 , , The Pickwick Papers , ch. 17,
  • One day when he knew old Lobbs was out, Nathaniel Pipkin had the temerity to kiss his hand to Maria Lobbs.
  • * 1886 , , The Mayor of Casterbridge , ch. 21
  • Elizabeth trotted through the open door in the dusk, but becoming alarmed at her own temerity , she went quickly out again by another which stood open in the lofty wall of the back court.
  • * 1913 , , The Return of Tarzan , ch. 21,
  • I am surprised that you, sir, a man of letters yourself, should have the temerity so to interrupt the progress of science.
  • (countable) An act or case of reckless boldness.
  • * 1910 , , "The Blond Beast," Scribner's Magazine , vol. 48 (Sept),
  • Draper, dear lad, had the illusion of an "intellectual sympathy" between them.... Draper's temerities would always be of that kind.
  • (not countable) Effrontery; impudence.
  • * 1820 , , Precaution , ch. 30,
  • He had very nearly been guilty of the temerity of arrogating to himself another title in the presence of those he most respected.

    Synonyms

    * (reckless boldness): audacity, foolhardiness, rashness, recklessness * (effrontery): brashness, cheek, gall, chutzpah

    References

    * * * * * " temerity" in the Wordsmyth Dictionary-Thesaurus (Wordsmyth, 2002) * " temerity" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996) * *