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17 dictionary results for: Peck
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
peck1       [pek] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.a dry measure of 8 quarts; the fourth part of a bushel, equal to 537.6 cubic inches (8.81 liters).
2.a container for measuring this quantity. Abbreviation: pk, pk.
3.a considerable quantity: a peck of trouble.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME pek < OF < ?]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
peck2       [pek] Pronunciation Key
–verb (used with object)
1.to strike or indent with the beak, as a bird does, or with some pointed instrument, esp. with quick, repeated movements.
2.to make (a hole, puncture, etc.) by such strokes; pierce.
3.to take (food) bit by bit, with or as with the beak.
–verb (used without object)
4.to make strokes with the beak or a pointed instrument.
–noun
5.a quick stroke, as in pecking.
6.a hole or mark made by or as by pecking.
7.a quick, almost impersonal kiss: a peck on the cheek.
8.(in timber) incipient decay from fungi, occurring in isolated spots.
9.pecks. Also, peckings. Slang. food.
—Verb phrase
10.peck at,
a.to nibble indifferently or unenthusiastically at (food).
b.to nag or carp at: Stop pecking at me, I'm doing the best I can.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME pecke < MD pecken; akin to pick1]

—Synonyms 10a. pick at, poke at.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
Peck       [pek] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.Annie Smith, 1850–1935, U.S. mountain climber.
2.Gregory, 1916–2003, U.S. actor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
peck 1       (pěk)  Pronunciation Key 
v.   pecked, peck·ing, pecks

v.   tr.
  1. To strike with the beak or a pointed instrument.
  2. To make (a hole, for example) by striking repeatedly with the beak or a pointed instrument.
  3. To grasp and pick up with the beak: The bird pecked insects from the log.
  4. Informal To kiss briefly and casually.

v.   intr.
  1. To make strokes with the beak or a pointed instrument.
  2. To eat in small sparing bits; nibble: He pecked at his dinner.
  3. To criticize repeatedly; carp.

n.  
    1. A stroke or light blow with the beak or a pointed instrument.
    2. A mark or hole made by such a stroke.
  2. Informal A light quick kiss.


[Middle English pecken, probably variant of piken, to peck (perhaps influenced by Middle Low German pekken); see pick1.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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peck 2       (pěk)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. Abbr. pk.
    1. A unit of dry volume or capacity in the U.S. Customary System equal to 8 quarts or approximately 537.6 cubic inches.
    2. A unit of dry volume or capacity in the British Imperial System equal to 8 quarts or approximately 554.8 cubic inches. See Table at measurement.
  2. A container holding or measuring a peck.
  3. Informal A large quantity; a lot: a peck of troubles.


[Middle English.]

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Peck       (pěk)  Pronunciation Key 
American explorer and mountain climber. Her most notable ascents include the volcano Popocatépetl in Mexico (1897) and Huascarán in the Peruvian Andes (1908).

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Peck, Gregory 1916-2003.  
American actor who is best known for his portrayals of strong and courageous characters. Among his films are Spellbound (1950) and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), for which he won an Academy Award.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
peck  (v.)
c.1300, possibly a variant of picken (see pick (v.)), or in part from M.L.G. pekken "to peck with the beak." Pecker "one who pecks" is from 1697; slang sense of "penis" is from 1902. Peckerwood (1859) is U.S. Southern black dialectal inversion of woodpecker (q.v.); in folklore, taken as the type of white folks (1929) and symbolically contrasted with blackbird. As a behavior among hens, pecking order (1928) translates Ger. hackliste (T.J. Schjelderuo-Ebbe, 1922); transf. sense of "human hierarchy based on rank or status" is from 1955.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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peck  (n.)
c.1280, "dry measure of one-quarter bushel," of unknown origin; perhaps connected with O.Fr. pek, picot (13c.), also of unknown origin. Chiefly of oats for horses; original sense may be "allowance" rather than a fixed measure, thus perhaps from peck (v.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
peck

noun
1. (often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent; "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble"; "a lot of money"; "he made a mint on the stock market"; "see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos"; "it must have cost plenty"; "a slew of journalists"; "a wad of money" [syn: batch] 
2. a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 2 gallons 
3. a United States dry measure equal to 8 quarts or 537.605 cubic inches 

verb
1. hit lightly with a picking motion 
2. eat by pecking at, like a bird 
3. kiss lightly [syn: smack] 
4. eat like a bird; "The anorexic girl just picks at her food" [syn: pick at] 
5. bother persistently with trivial complaints; "She nags her husband all day long" [syn: nag] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Peck, ID (city, FIPS 61840) Location: 46.47387 N, 116.42409 W
Population (1990): 160 (84 housing units)
Area: 0.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 83545

Peck, KS Zip code(s): 67120

Peck, MI (village, FIPS 63260) Location: 43.25907 N, 82.81651 W
Population (1990): 558 (233 housing units)
Area: 2.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 48466

Fort Peck, MT (town, FIPS 28450) Location: 48.00658 N, 106.45475 W
Population (1990): 325 (236 housing units)
Area: 2.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 59223

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Peck

Pack\, n. [Akin to D. pak, G. pack, Dan. pakke, Sw. packa, Icel. pakki, Gael. & Ir. pac, Arm. pak. Cf. Packet.]

1. A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a bundle to be carried on the back; a load for an animal; a bale, as of goods. --Piers Plowman.

2. [Cf. Peck, n.] A number or quantity equal to the contents of a pack; hence, a multitude; a burden. "A pack of sorrows." "A pack of blessings." --Shak.

Note: "In England, by a pack of meal is meant 280 lbs.; of wool, 240 lbs." --McElrath.

3. A number or quantity of connected or similar things; as: (a) A full set of playing cards; also, the assortment used in a particular game; as, a euchre pack. (b) A number of hounds or dogs, hunting or kept together. (c) A number of persons associated or leagued in a bad design or practice; a gang; as, a pack of thieves or knaves. (d) A shook of cask staves. (e) A bundle of sheet-iron plates for rolling simultaneously.

4. A large area of floating pieces of ice driven together more or less closely. --Kane.

5. An envelope, or wrapping, of sheets used in hydropathic practice, called dry pack, wet pack, cold pack, etc., according to the method of treatment.

6. [Prob. the same word; but cf. AS. p?can to deceive.] A loose, lewd, or worthless person. See Baggage. [Obs.] --Skelton.

Pack animal, an animal, as a horse, mule, etc., employed in carrying packs.

Pack cloth, a coarse cloth, often duck, used in covering packs or bales.

Pack horse. See Pack animal (above).

Pack ice. See def. 4, above.

Pack moth (Zo["o]l.), a small moth (Anacampsis sarcitella) which, in the larval state, is very destructive to wool and woolen fabrics.

Pack needle, a needle for sewing with pack thread. --Piers Plowman.

Pack saddle, a saddle made for supporting the load on a pack animal. --Shak.

Pack staff, a staff for supporting a pack; a peddler's staff.

Pack thread, strong thread or small twine used for tying packs or parcels.

Pack train (Mil.), a troop of pack animals.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Peck

Peck\, n. [Perh. akin to pack; or, orig., an indefinite quantity, and fr. peck, v. (below): cf. also F. picotin a peak.]

1. The fourth part of a bushel; a dry measure of eight quarts; as, a peck of wheat. "A peck of provender." --Shak.

2. A great deal; a large or excessive quantity. "A peck of uncertainties and doubts." --Milton.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Peck

Peck\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pecked; p. pr. & vb. n. Pecking.] [See Pick, v.]

1. To strike with the beak; to thrust the beak into; as, a bird pecks a tree.

2. Hence: To strike, pick, thrust against, or dig into, with a pointed instrument; especially, to strike, pick, etc., with repeated quick movements.

3. To seize and pick up with the beak, or as with the beak; to bite; to eat; -- often with up. --Addison.

This fellow pecks up wit as pigeons peas. --Shak.

4. To make, by striking with the beak or a pointed instrument; as, to peck a hole in a tree.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Peck

Peck\, v. i. 1. To make strokes with the beak, or with a pointed instrument. --Carew.

2. To pick up food with the beak; hence, to eat.

[The hen] went pecking by his side. --Dryden.

To peck at, to attack with petty and repeated blows; to carp at; to nag; to tease.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

PECK

PECK: in Acronym Finder

Acronym Finder, © 1988-2007 Mountain Data Systems
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On-line Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

peck

peck: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary

On-line Medical Dictionary, © 1997-98 Academic Medical Publishing & CancerWEB
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