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pick1

Pronunciation: /pɪk/
Translate pick | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of pick

verb

  • 1 [with object] take hold of and remove (a flower, fruit, or vegetable) from where it is growing:I went to pick some flowers for Jenny’s room
  • [with object and adverbial] take hold of and lift or move:he picked a match out of the ashtray picking her up, he carried her from the room
  • [no object] (pick up) Golf take hold of and lift up one’s ball, especially when conceding a hole.
  • 2 [with object] choose (someone or something) from a number of alternatives:maybe I picked the wrong career he was picked for the England squad [no object]:Maggie picked on a nice reliable chap
  • (pick one's way) [with adverbial of direction] walk slowly and carefully, selecting the best places to put one’s feet:he picked his way along the track, avoiding the potholes
  • 3 [no object] repeatedly pull at something with one’s fingers:the old woman was picking at the sheet
  • eat food in small amounts or without much appetite:she picked at her breakfast
  • [with object] remove unwanted matter from (one’s nose or teeth) by using one’s finger or a pointed instrument: he picked his teeth with a matchstick
  • criticize someone in a petty way:don’t start picking at Ruth
  • 4 [with object] pluck the strings of (a guitar or banjo): people were singing and picking guitars

noun

  • 1 [in singular] an act or the right of selecting something from a number of alternatives:take your pick from our extensive menu Laura should have first pick
  • (the pick of) informal the person or thing perceived as the best in a group:he was the pick of the bunch
  • someone or something that has been selected:the club made him their first pick
  • 2 Basketball an act of blocking or screening a defensive player from the ball handler.

Phrases

pick and choose

select only the best from a number of alternatives: he could pick and choose from the world’s most beautiful women

pick someone's brains (or brain)

informal obtain information by questioning someone who is better informed about a subject than oneself: mind if I pick your brain for a minute?

pick something clean

completely remove the flesh from a bone or carcass: the vultures had picked the bones clean

pick one's feet up

raise one’s feet clear of the ground when walking.

pick a fight (or quarrel)

talk or behave in such a way as to provoke a fight or argument: it wasn’t in his nature to pick a fight with anyone

pick holes in

find fault with: it’s really not too difficult to pick holes in the plan

pick a lock

open a lock with an instrument other than the proper key.

pick someone's pockets

steal something surreptitiously from someone’s pocket.

pick someone/thing to pieces (or apart)

criticize someone or something severely: I knew that some people would pick the album apart

pick up the pieces

restore one’s life or a situation to a more normal state after a shock or disaster: I’ve spent the last four years trying to pick up the pieces!

pick up the threads

resume something that has been interrupted: to pick up the threads of work he had done fifteen years ago was a Herculean task

Phrasal Verbs

pick someone/thing off

shoot a member of a group, aiming carefully from a distance: the soldiers were picked off by snipers
Baseball put out a runner by throwing the ball to a base.

pick on

repeatedly single (someone) out for criticism or unkind treatment in a way perceived to be unfair: no one is picking on you—we’re trying to help pick on someone your own size!

pick someone/thing out

  • 1distinguish someone or something from a group:Lester picked out two familiar voices
  • (of a light) illuminate an object by shining directly on it: the car’s headlights picked out a road sign and she swung left
  • highlight or accentuate something from its surroundings by painting or fashioning it in a contrasting colour or medium:the initials are picked out in diamonds
  • 2play a tune on a musical instrument slowly or with difficulty:she began to pick out a rough melody on the guitar

pick something over (or pick through)

sort through a number of items carefully:they picked through the charred remains of their home

pick up

  • 1become better; improve:my luck’s picked up
  • become stronger; increase:the wind has picked up
  • 2answer a telephone call: let the machine pick up and return the call later

pick someone up

  • 1go somewhere to collect someone, typically in one’s car: will you pick the children up from school?
  • stop for someone to board a train, boat, etc.: they were picked up by a passing ship
  • informal arrest someone: she was picked up on prostitution charges
  • 2 informal casually strike up a relationship with a stranger as a sexual overture: he picked her up in a bar
  • 3return to a point made by someone in order to criticize it:she picked him up on one niggling point
  • 4make someone feel more energetic and cheerful:songs to pick you up and make you feel good

pick something up

  • 1collect something that has been left elsewhere:Wanda came over to pick up her things
  • 2obtain, acquire, or learn something, especially in an informal way:he had picked up a little Russian from his father
  • catch an illness or infection: I’ve picked up some kind of flu bug
  • 3detect or receive a signal or sound, especially by means of electronic apparatus: we’ve picked up a distress signal the animals had picked up their scent and were following their trail
  • (also pick up on) become aware of or sensitive to something:women are very quick to pick up emotional atmospheres
  • 4 (also pick up) resume something:they picked up their friendship without the slightest difficulty
  • (also pick up on) refer to or develop a point mentioned earlier:Dawson picked up her earlier remark
  • 5 informal pay the bill for something: he never allowed her to pick up the cheque
  • 6find and take a particular road or route: they veered left and picked up the road which ran alongside the river
  • 7North American tidy a room or building.

pick up after

chiefly US tidy up things left strewn around by (someone): Tony did at least pick up after himself

Derivatives

pickable

adjective

picker

noun

Origin:

Middle English (earlier as pike, which continues in dialect use): of unknown origin. Compare with Dutch pikken 'pick, peck', and German picken 'peck, puncture', also with French piquer 'to prick'

pick in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of pick in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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