To select from a group: The best swimmer was picked.
To select or cull.
To gather in; harvest: They were picking cotton.
To gather the harvest from: picked the field in one day.
To remove the outer covering of; pluck: pick a chicken clean of feathers.
To tear off bit by bit: pick meat from the bones.
To pluck (an instrument's strings).
To play (an instrument) by plucking its strings.
To play (a tune) in this manner: picked a melody out on the guitar.
To gather in; harvest: They were picking cotton.
To gather the harvest from: picked the field in one day.
To remove the outer covering of; pluck: pick a chicken clean of feathers.
To tear off bit by bit: pick meat from the bones.
To pluck (an instrument's strings).
To play (an instrument) by plucking its strings.
To play (a tune) in this manner: picked a melody out on the guitar.
To remove the outer covering of; pluck: pick a chicken clean of feathers.
To tear off bit by bit: pick meat from the bones.
To pluck (an instrument's strings).
To play (an instrument) by plucking its strings.
To play (a tune) in this manner: picked a melody out on the guitar.
To remove extraneous matter from (the teeth).
To poke and pull at (something) with the fingers.
To break up, separate, or detach by means of a sharp pointed instrument.
To pierce or make (a hole) with a sharp pointed instrument.
To take up (food) with the beak; peck: The parrot picked its seed.
To steal the contents of: My pocket was picked.
To open (a lock) without the use of a key.
To provoke: pick a fight.
Music
To pluck (an instrument's strings).
To play (an instrument) by plucking its strings.
To play (a tune) in this manner: picked a melody out on the guitar.
v.
intr.
To decide with care or forethought.
To work with a pick.
To find fault or make petty criticisms; carp: He's always picking about something.
To be harvested or gathered: The ripe apples picked easily.
n.
The act of picking, especially with a sharp pointed instrument.
The act of selecting or choosing; choice: got first pick of the desserts.
Something selected as the most desirable; the best or choicest part: the pick of the crop.
The amount or quantity of a crop that is picked by hand.
Basketball A screen.
To pluck or pull at, especially with the fingers.
To eat sparingly or without appetite: The child just picked at the food.
Informal To nag: Don't pick at me.
To shoot after singling out: The hunter picked the ducks off one by one.
Baseball To catch (a base runner) off base and put out with a quick throw, as from the pitcher or catcher, often to a specified base.
Sports To intercept, as a football pass.
To choose or select: picked out a nice watch.
To discern from the surroundings; distinguish: picked out their cousins from the crowd.
To take up (something) by hand: pick up a book.
To collect or gather: picked up some pebbles.
To tidy up: picked up the bedroom.
To acquire casually or by accident: picked up a new coat on sale.
To acquire (knowledge) by learning or experience: picked up French quickly.
To claim: picked up her car at the repair shop.
To buy: picked up some milk at the store.
To accept (a bill or charge) in order to pay it: Let me pick up the tab.
To come down with (a disease): picked up a virus at school.
To gain: picked up five yards on that play.
To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.
To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.
To take on (passengers or freight, for example): The bus picks up commuters at five stops.
Informal
To acquire casually or by accident: picked up a new coat on sale.
To acquire (knowledge) by learning or experience: picked up French quickly.
To claim: picked up her car at the repair shop.
To buy: picked up some milk at the store.
To accept (a bill or charge) in order to pay it: Let me pick up the tab.
To come down with (a disease): picked up a virus at school.
To gain: picked up five yards on that play.
To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.
To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.
Informal To take into custody: The agents picked up six smugglers.
Slang To make casual acquaintance with, usually in anticipation of sexual relations.
To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.
To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.
To continue after a break: Let's pick up the discussion after lunch.
Informal To improve in condition or activity: Sales picked up last fall.
Slang To prepare a sudden departure: She just picked up and left.
Phrasal Verb(s): pick apartTo refute or find flaws in by close examination: The lawyer picked the testimony apart. pick at
To pluck or pull at, especially with the fingers.
To eat sparingly or without appetite: The child just picked at the food.
Informal To nag: Don't pick at me.
pick off
To shoot after singling out: The hunter picked the ducks off one by one.
Baseball To catch (a base runner) off base and put out with a quick throw, as from the pitcher or catcher, often to a specified base.
Sports To intercept, as a football pass.
pick onTo tease or bully. pick out
To choose or select: picked out a nice watch.
To discern from the surroundings; distinguish: picked out their cousins from the crowd.
pick overTo sort out or examine item by item: picked over the grapes before buying them. pick up
To take up (something) by hand: pick up a book.
To collect or gather: picked up some pebbles.
To tidy up: picked up the bedroom.
To acquire casually or by accident: picked up a new coat on sale.
To acquire (knowledge) by learning or experience: picked up French quickly.
To claim: picked up her car at the repair shop.
To buy: picked up some milk at the store.
To accept (a bill or charge) in order to pay it: Let me pick up the tab.
To come down with (a disease): picked up a virus at school.
To gain: picked up five yards on that play.
To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.
To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.
To take on (passengers or freight, for example): The bus picks up commuters at five stops.
Informal
To acquire casually or by accident: picked up a new coat on sale.
To acquire (knowledge) by learning or experience: picked up French quickly.
To claim: picked up her car at the repair shop.
To buy: picked up some milk at the store.
To accept (a bill or charge) in order to pay it: Let me pick up the tab.
To come down with (a disease): picked up a virus at school.
To gain: picked up five yards on that play.
To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.
To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.
Informal To take into custody: The agents picked up six smugglers.
Slang To make casual acquaintance with, usually in anticipation of sexual relations.
To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.
To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.
To continue after a break: Let's pick up the discussion after lunch.
Informal To improve in condition or activity: Sales picked up last fall.
Slang To prepare a sudden departure: She just picked up and left.
Idiom(s):
pick and chooseTo select with great care.
Idiom(s):
pick holes inTo seek and discover flaws or a flaw in: picked holes in the argument.
Idiom(s):
pick (one's) wayTo find passage and make careful progress through it: picked her way down the slope.
Idiom(s):
pick (someone) to piecesTo criticize sharply.
Idiom(s):
pick up on Informal
To take into the mind and understand, typically with speed: is quick to pick up on new computer skills.
To notice: picked up on my roommate's bad mood and left him alone.
[Middle English piken, to prick, from Old English *pīcian, to prick, and from Old French piquer, to pierce (from Vulgar Latin *piccāre; see pique).] pick'er n.
(pĭk) 