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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pluk, v. Also: pluke; pluik; plouk; pluck(e; ploke. [ME. pluken, plukken, e.m.E. pluck(e, late OE. ploccian, pluccian, MLG. plucken, MDu. plocken, Flem. plokken, ON. plokka, plukka (c 1200) to pluck fowls.] To pluck, in various usual senses and combinations.

I. The simple verb.

1. tr. a. To pull, or break, a branch from a tree. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 2026.
Ane branche of olyve grene Full of berreis that plukit new haid bene

b. To pull away or off (a part of, or something growing upon, a human or animal body) (from (furth of, out of, of, aff of) the body). 1567 G. Ball. 165.
Thay can nocht pluk ane lytill hair Furth of our heid 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 135.
That he sal pluk the eiris out of his heid and that he leis a1605 Montg. Flyt. 80 (T).
Als proud as ȝe prunȝie ȝour pen [v.r. pennis] salbe plukkit 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 383.
That thai [fleshers] … nather pluk the woll of the hals [of sheep] … or yitt diminische the skyns or hydes be cutting of the tarlether c1590 Fowler II. 23/28.
Away damnable heretique I sal pluk ȝour luggs I sal ding out ȝour harnes 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 135.
Thow cumis to ane of the said geis and plucks thrie fedders aff of hir

c. To pick, gather or cull (a fruit, grain, etc.) from where it grows. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xii. 1.
His discipilis … began to pluk ekiris of corn 1566 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 68.
That nayne man cast turvis nor pluke halder in the mure a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 623 (L).
Ȝit luik we and pluik we The fruit thai wald haif pairt 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 207.
Haifing past to the feild to pluk lint with vthir wemen 1587-99 Hume 30/145.
Sume plucks the honie plowm and peare — a1500 Seven S. 553.
With the froit that was so sweit He plukit and kest dovne gud scare

d. absol. in sense a or c above. — a1568 Maitland Bann. MS. 12 a/39.
[Forbidden to touch the tree] Leist plucking or lucking … thay … Sowld dye withowt remeid

2. To pull (a person or thing) (from, off, out of a place or situation) by force or forcible effort; to drag; to snatch. Chiefly fig. Also absol. 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 200.
Kyngis Ȝe sall be plukkit frome ȝour ryngis … withouttin dreid 1568 Reg. Privy C. I. 624.
Purposing thairby to pluk the croun of his hienes heid and depose him [etc.] 1588 King Cat. 173.
I … pluckit the pray out of thair teithe 1596 Dalr. II. 30/10.
Douglas plukit that fatt bit out of the Erle Merches mouth 1634 (1649) Sel. Biog. I. 384.
God … plucked them from their deceiving hopesabsol. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Arripio, to plucke or rug to me

b. Pluk (someone) down, to degrade or depose. 1567 G. Ball. 179.
Thair is na king nor empreour … Bot he sall pluk thame downe

3. To take (livestock) (from, fra a person) by force or stealth; to steal or carry off (another's livestock). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 157.
Thow plukkis the pultre and scho pullis off the pennis 1567 G. Ball. 194.
To pluk fra vs pure men our guddis Ȝe schaw vs the heid of Sanct Johne a1585 Polwart Flyt. 612 (T).
From the poore anis the pultrie he plukit be the pennis 1616 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 71 b (20 Mar.).
[She] said that she hir selff plukit newer ane hog & kuist it in the sea 1686 Depred. Clan Campbell 42.
The mare was again pluckt from the ouner

4. tr. To give a pull or jerk to; to twitch.Const., to pluk (someone) be (his clothing) or to pluk (his clothing). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2338 (Ch.).
Syne priuelie he plukkit him be the sleif 1587 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 60.
Puir folkis sittand at the kirk dur beggand almous plukand and pulland honest menis gownis … to sitt without the stylis

5. To pull off the hair, wool or feathers from; to pluck (a hide or bird).To hav a crow to pluk, cf. late ME. and early ME. to have a crow to pull (1509; pluck 1590) = to have a matter of dispute (with someone, or mutually).(1) 1449 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. V. ii. 744 (7 Nov.).
That he punys the skynnaris that bijs skynnis to pluk 1559 Inverness Rec. I. 34.
Quhilk of thame beys fundyn plukan skynnis tha sall incur the hale wnlaw 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 21.
With the skyn and byrn vn tarletheritt and plukkitt or powitt 1654 Kelso Glovers 12.
Non … shal tak in hand to pluk skins to any man … that ar not frie with the traid 1689 Aberd. Trades 206.
That no glover nor skynner … should … pluck peal nor alme ony skin to ony … persons(2) a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1487.
We hav ane crow to pluk

6. To rob (a person); to ‘fleece’. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 622.
Thay pluck the puir as thay war powand hadder 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6353. c1650 Spalding II. 321.
Sore wes the pure people of the old toun pluckit and poyndit

7. intr. To rob, plunder, pillage. = absol. use of 3 or 6 above. 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 124.
Geff sic man … can be comprehendit stowlland our corn plukand or pulland ruband [etc.] 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 70.
Thay have retired … to pas to the seyis and thair ather to pluk and use piracie upoun the trew marchandis [etc.] 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III. 140.
And everie man dois pluke and pow

II. quasi-comb., with adv. compl.

8. (To play) pluk at the craw, the name of a game in which the ‘craw’ was appar. an object of sport to the other players, who tugged at his clothes or hair.In fig. use, (to take) what one can get by any means to hand, as by snatching or grabbing.For further examples, see Craw n.¹ 2. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 651.
Pluk at the craw, thay cryit, deplome the ruik, Pulland my hair 1523 St. P. Henry VIII IV. i. 16.
My Lade Priores … sais for all … your lordships instense to them off wark, tha [ed. za] doy play ploke at the crawe with hire … ; tha [ed. za] … haid taken fray hire … 40 threffe of attes 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 230.
That … kyng Off quhome thir gallandis stude no awe To play with hym pluke at the crawe Thay become ryche 1562-3 Winȝet II. 81/24.
And imagin thame to rug of his clathis as thai war playng with him pluk at the craw

9. Pluk up.a. ? To raise (a bow) into position with a sudden movement, or ? to draw (it). b. To set (sail). c. To pull up (a plant) by the rute (root). d. To gather and take away, as by force. e. fig. To raze, demolish.See also Pluk-up fa(i)r(e.a. 1513 Doug. v. ix. 45.
With arow reddy nokkyt than Ewricion Plukkis vp inhy hys bowb. c1650 Spalding I. 284.
The Lord Gordoun … plukit wp saill fra Nether Bukkiec. 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 138.
To pluk up ane nettill by the rute 16.. Nat. Lib. MS. 22.2.11, 4th last p.
Whyt gowans ploukit up bythe rootd. c1650 Spalding I. 334.
Anent the vplifting of thir tenthis … Marschall plukit wp all both men and moneyis within his diuisioune. 1596 Dalr. I. 205/4.
Vnto the tyme quhen hæresie pluked vpe al monumentes of pietie in Scotland

f. Pluk up (one's) hart, to raise one's spirits or courage. 1513 Doug. i. viii. 121.
Remove all dreid, Troianys, beis nocht agast Pluk vp ȝour hartis 1567 G. Ball. 142. 1571 Sat. P. xxvi. 3.
Pluk vp ȝour harts, lat not ȝour curage cauld a1585 Maitl. Q. viii. 18.
I think it best that we Pluck vp our hairt and mirrie be

10. In other, special, phrases.Pluk away, to take away suddenly or abruptly. Pluk doun, to pull down; to strike a tent. Also, fig., to abase. Pluk fra, to take away or subtract from. Pluk furth or out, to take or remove, as by force; to pick out from a context. Pluk (up)on, to attract the attention of by tugging at; see also Pluk(k)ing vbl. n. (4).(1) 1562-3 Winȝet II. 51/25.
Be his errour following … fra his louable and approuable wrytingis he plukit away the auctoritie(2) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 1289.
Chariottis avant and pawilionis plukit doun, Befoir was lyk ane citie or ane toun 1535 Stewart 50900.
The siluer euchrist … Aboue the altar … that hang … Tha pluckit doun — c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 17.
Nane heir bot riche men hes renoun And bot pure men ar pluckit doun(3) 1562-3 Winȝet II. 54/14.
Euir … desyrous to eik sum thing to religioun to change or to pluk fra it(4) 1597 Misc. Spald. C. II. 137.
The forsaid officiar persawit ane corbie pluk furth woll out of the top of thy hous(5) 1596 Dalr. I. 69/21.
Pluking out … the opiniounis of vthiris men Ib. II. 393/23.
The legatis that scruple esilie may pluk out 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 100.
Ane ewill spreit … wald hef plukkit owt hir eene(6) 1567–8 Crim. Trials I. i. 512.
The said Erle standing at the barr … I plukit upon him and said [etc.]