To pull or pick quickly and forcefully, especially feathers, strings, or fruit. Also means to show courage or determination in difficult circumstances.
Old English 'pluccian', related to Middle Dutch 'plucken' and German 'pflücken'. The metaphorical sense of courage developed from the physical act of pulling against resistance, with 'pluck' as a noun meaning spirit or courage emerging in the 19th century.
The evolution from 'pluck a chicken' to 'show pluck in adversity' beautifully demonstrates how English creates metaphors from everyday actions - the resistance you feel pulling feathers becomes the resistance you overcome in life! Guitar players 'pluck' strings with the same decisive action that defines moral courage.
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