peck1 verbpeck2 noun
peckpeck1 /pek/ verb 
WORD ORIGINpeck1
Origin:
1300-1400 Probably from pickVERB TABLE
peck
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | peck |
| he, she, it | pecks | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | pecked |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have pecked |
| he, she, it | has pecked | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had pecked |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will peck |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have pecked |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am pecking |
| he, she, it | is pecking | |
| you, we, they | are pecking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was pecking |
| you, we, they | were pecking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been pecking |
| he, she, it | has been pecking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been pecking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be pecking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been pecking |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Hens pecked at the corn scattered on the ground.
- The woodpecker's long beak is specially designed for pecking.
- There was a red mark where the pigeon had pecked her hand.
- A surprising chaff inch flew down to peck at our crumbs.
- Beneath that principled veneer students were hammering out the usual adolescent pecking order.
- He himself had been but little pecked at.
- Males compete with one another for places in a pecking order.
- She pecked our hands for food and glared at us with her red eyes.
- This means that the rider can help his horse should he peck on landing or hesitate into a fence.
- We were woken at the crack of dawn by the pitter patter of seagulls as they pecked for their breakfast.
- You peck away at your computer, but it is hard for you to get motivated.
Longman Language Activatorto bite something several times, especially food
to keep biting something that is in your mouth: · Chew your food. Don't eat so quickly.· Helen sat there, chewing a piece of gum.chew on: · I gave the baby my key ring to chew on.
if an animal gnaws something, it bites it repeatedly in order to eat it or destroy it: · The dog lay in the yard and gnawed its bone.gnaw at: · The cat began to gnaw at the skin of the dead snake.gnaw through: · A rat's teeth are strong enough to gnaw through lead pipes.
if a bird pecks something, it makes quick repeated movements with its beak to try to bite it: · There was a red mark where the pigeon had pecked her hand.· The woodpecker's long beak is specially designed for pecking.peck at: · Hens pecked at the corn scattered on the ground.
WORD SETSauk, nounbald eagle, nounbeak, nounbill, nounbird, nounbirdie, nounbird of paradise, nounbird of passage, nounbird of prey, nounbirdsong, nounblackbird, nounbluebird, nounbluejay, nounbobwhite, nounbreast, nounbuzzard, nouncackle, verbchick, nounclaw, nouncob, nouncock, nouncockerel, nouncockscomb, nouncolouring, nouncondor, nouncoo, verbcoot, nouncormorant, nouncorncrake, nouncrane, nouncrest, nouncrested, adjectivecrop, nouncrow, nouncrow, verbcuckoo, nouncurlew, nouncygnet, noundickybird, noundipper, noundive, verbdodo, noundove, noundown, nounduck, nounduckling, nouneagle, nouneaglet, nounegret, nounemu, nounfeather, nounflamingo, nounfledgling, nounflight, nounfly, verbflycatcher, nounfowl, noungander, noungannet, noungizzard, noungobble, verbgobbler, noungolden eagle, noungoldfinch, noungoose, noungrebe, noungrouse, nounguillemot, nounguinea fowl, nounhackles, nounhatch, verbhawk, nounheron, nounhonk, nounhonk, verbhoot, nounhoot, verbhornbill, nounhouse martin, nounhumming bird, nounincubate, verbjackdaw, nounjay, nounkestrel, nounkingfisher, nounkite, nounkiwi, nounlark, nounlay, verblinnet, nounloon, nounlovebird, nounmacaw, nounmagpie, nounmallard, nounmarabou, nounmartin, nounmeadowlark, nounmigrant, nounmockingbird, nounmoorhen, nounmoult, verbmynah bird, nounnest, nounnest, verbnestling, nounnightingale, nounoriole, nounornithologist, nounornithology, nounosprey, nounostrich, nounowl, nounowlet, nounparakeet, nounparrot, nounpartridge, nounpeacock, nounpeafowl, nounpeahen, nounpeck, verbpeck, nounpeewit, nounpelican, nounpenguin, nounperch, nounperch, verbperegrine falcon, nounpetrel, nounpipit, nounplover, nounplumage, nounplume, verbpullet, nounquail, nounquill, nounraven, nounroadrunner, nounrobin, nounrook, nounroost, nounroost, verbrooster, nounruff, nounsandpiper, nounseabird, nounseagull, nounshag, nounsing, verbskylark, nounsnipe, nounsong, nounsongbird, nounsongster, nounsparrow, nounstarling, nounswallow, nounswan, nounswift, nounswoop, verbtalon, nounteal, nountern, nounthrush, nountit, nountoucan, nountrill, nounturkey, nounturtledove, nountwitter, verbvulture, nounwader, nounwagtail, nounwarble, verbwarbler, nounwater bird, nounwaterfowl, nounwebbed, adjectiveweb-footed, adjectivewhistle, verbwing, nounwinged, adjectivewingspan, nounwingtip, nounwishbone, nounwren, nounyellowhammer, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the pecking order.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
(=makes small movements with its head)· Some birds were pecking at the remains of a sandwich.
Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the pecking order.· Ahead of her - quite a way in the distance - she could see some birds pecking at crumbs on the pavement.· Classical conditioning principles suggest, what is indeed the case, that the bird will come to peck at the lit key.· Some birds gather and peck the concrete in the space the delegation has just been standing in.· A bird pecking at food grains could have known without learning what food looks like, or it could have learnt it.
· He pecked her on the cheek.
· The chicks pecked the conspicuous rice grains, which proves that they were eager to eat rice.· Middleschoolers, their teachers tell me, are as endearing as chicks just pecking out of their shells.· Newborn chicks will peck at an adult gull's bill - or even a model of one - without any prior experience.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1- He pecked her on the cheek.
[intransitive, transitive] if a bird pecks something or pecks at something, it makes quick repeated movements with its beak to try to eat part of it, make a hole in it etcpeck at birds pecking at breadcrumbs on the pavement2peck somebody on the cheek/forehead etc to kiss someone quickly and lightly: She pecked her father lightly on the cheek.peck at something phrasal verb to eat only a little bit of a meal because you are not interested in it or not hungry: She pecked at her food in silence.peck1 verbpeck2 noun
peckpeck2 noun [countable] WORD ORIGINpeck2
Origin:
1600-1700 ➔ PECK1EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- He gave her a really big kiss. Not just a peck on the cheek.
- It takes several pecks for the chick to make a hole in the eggshell.
- Dottie Newland is a peck of fun.
- I take the same two-hour bus and tram ride for the same old peck on the cheek.
- Just a peck on the cheek.
- Not bad, as the consequence of but a single peck!
- One peck on the head will kill them.
- Take your child along and let him cat his peck of dirt.
- The wife and kids took a peck at the visitor.
Longman Language Activatoran act of kissing
· In the morning he woke her with gentle kisses.· "Have you got a kiss for your old Dad?'' he asked.give somebody a kiss · She gave him a quick kiss and said goodbye.
British informal if you have a snog with someone, you kiss them for a long time in a sexual way - used especially humorously: · Barry thought this might be an opportunity for a quick snog.
a small quick kiss, often one that is slightly formal: a peck on the cheek: · He gave her a really big kiss. Not just a peck on the cheek.
to kiss someone to touch someone with your lips, usually on their lips or cheek, as a sign of love or as a greeting: · He wanted to kiss Liz, but he didn't dare.· When I was a child, I used to hate being kissed by visiting relatives.· Do you remember the first time you kissed a boy?· Timothy bent to kiss his aunt's cheek.kiss somebody on the lips/cheek/mouth etc: · His mother hugged him and kissed him on both cheeks.kiss somebody goodbye/goodnight: · Mrs Thomson kissed Maria goodbye, and handed her her suitcase.
to kiss someone once, as a sign of love or as a greeting: · Come on, honey, give me a kiss.· Neil put his arm around me and gave me a quick kiss to reassure me.give somebody a kiss on the cheek/lips etc: · Karen flung her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss on the lips.
to give someone a small, quick kiss on their cheek, often in a way that is slightly formal: · My grandmother gave me a quick peck, and went to bed.give somebody a peck on the mouth/cheek etc: · She gave him a peck on the cheek and told him not to worry.
WORD SETSauk, nounbald eagle, nounbeak, nounbill, nounbird, nounbirdie, nounbird of paradise, nounbird of passage, nounbird of prey, nounbirdsong, nounblackbird, nounbluebird, nounbluejay, nounbobwhite, nounbreast, nounbuzzard, nouncackle, verbchick, nounclaw, nouncob, nouncock, nouncockerel, nouncockscomb, nouncolouring, nouncondor, nouncoo, verbcoot, nouncormorant, nouncorncrake, nouncrane, nouncrest, nouncrested, adjectivecrop, nouncrow, nouncrow, verbcuckoo, nouncurlew, nouncygnet, noundickybird, noundipper, noundive, verbdodo, noundove, noundown, nounduck, nounduckling, nouneagle, nouneaglet, nounegret, nounemu, nounfeather, nounflamingo, nounfledgling, nounflight, nounfly, verbflycatcher, nounfowl, noungander, noungannet, noungizzard, noungobble, verbgobbler, noungolden eagle, noungoldfinch, noungoose, noungrebe, noungrouse, nounguillemot, nounguinea fowl, nounhackles, nounhatch, verbhawk, nounheron, nounhonk, nounhonk, verbhoot, nounhoot, verbhornbill, nounhouse martin, nounhumming bird, nounincubate, verbjackdaw, nounjay, nounkestrel, nounkingfisher, nounkite, nounkiwi, nounlark, nounlay, verblinnet, nounloon, nounlovebird, nounmacaw, nounmagpie, nounmallard, nounmarabou, nounmartin, nounmeadowlark, nounmigrant, nounmockingbird, nounmoorhen, nounmoult, verbmynah bird, nounnest, nounnest, verbnestling, nounnightingale, nounoriole, nounornithologist, nounornithology, nounosprey, nounostrich, nounowl, nounowlet, nounparakeet, nounparrot, nounpartridge, nounpeacock, nounpeafowl, nounpeahen, nounpeck, verbpeck, nounpeewit, nounpelican, nounpenguin, nounperch, nounperch, verbperegrine falcon, nounpetrel, nounpipit, nounplover, nounplumage, nounplume, verbpullet, nounquail, nounquill, nounraven, nounroadrunner, nounrobin, nounrook, nounroost, nounroost, verbrooster, nounruff, nounsandpiper, nounseabird, nounseagull, nounshag, nounsing, verbskylark, nounsnipe, nounsong, nounsongbird, nounsongster, nounsparrow, nounstarling, nounswallow, nounswan, nounswift, nounswoop, verbtalon, nounteal, nountern, nounthrush, nountit, nountoucan, nountrill, nounturkey, nounturtledove, nountwitter, verbvulture, nounwader, nounwagtail, nounwarble, verbwarbler, nounwater bird, nounwaterfowl, nounwebbed, adjectiveweb-footed, adjectivewhistle, verbwing, nounwinged, adjectivewingspan, nounwingtip, nounwishbone, nounwren, nounyellowhammer, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He gave her a quick peck on the cheek.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the pecking order.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB
1a quick light kiss: He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. (=makes small movements with its head)· Some birds were pecking at the remains of a sandwich.
Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the pecking order.· She gives him a peck on the cheek.· She gave Denver a half peck of peas to sort and soak overnight.
He gave her a quick peck on the cheek.2an action in which a bird pecks someone or something with its beak