peck
1 of 3noun (1)
ˈpek 
1
: a unit of capacity equal to ¹/₄ bushel see Weights and Measures Table
2
: a large quantity or number
peck
2 of 3verb
pecked; pecking; pecks
transitive verb
1
a
: to strike or pierce especially repeatedly with the bill or a pointed tool
b
: to make by pecking
peck a hole
2
: to pick up with the bill
intransitive verb
1
a
: to strike, pierce, or pick up something with or as if with the bill
b
: carp, nag
2
: to eat reluctantly and in small bites
peck at food
peck
3 of 3noun (2)
1
: an impression or hole made by pecking
2
: a quick sharp stroke
3
: a quick light kiss
a peck on the cheek
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- abundance
- barrel
- basketful
- boatload
- bucket
- bunch
- bundle
- bushel
- carload
- chunk
- deal
- dozen
- fistful
- gobs
- good deal
- heap
- hundred
- lashings [chiefly British]
- lashins
- loads
- lot
- mass
- mess
- mountain
- much
- multiplicity
- myriad
- oodles
- pack
- passel
- pile
- plateful
- plenitude
- plentitude
- plenty
- pot
- potful
- profusion
- quantity
- raft
- reams
- scads
- sheaf
- shipload
- sight
- slew
- spate
- stack
- store
- ton
- truckload
- volume
- wad
- wealth
- yard
Verb
- nibble
- pick
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The hen pecked my finger. The woodpecker pecked a hole in the tree. He pecked his wife on the cheek as he headed out the door.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English pek, from Anglo-French
Verb
Middle English, perhaps from Middle Low German pekken
First Known Use
Noun (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (2)
circa 1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing peck
Kids Definition
peck 1 of 3
verb
ˈpek
pecked; pecking
1
: to strike or pick up with the beak or a sharp instrument (as a pick)
Birds pecked the cherries that filled the tree.
2
: to make by striking with the beak or a sharp instrument
Birds pecked holes.
peck
2 of 3noun
1
: a unit of capacity equal to one quarter of a bushel
2
: a great deal : a large quantity
She's in a peck of trouble.
peck
3 of 3noun
1
: the act of striking with the bill or with a sharp instrument
2
: a mark made by striking with the bill or with a sharp instrument
pecking
verb
1
as in nibbling
to eat reluctantly and in small bites found out that fashion models never really eat—they just peck at small meals in expensive restaurants Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- nibbling
- picking
- grazing
- snacking
- noshing
- tasting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- gorging
- swilling
- overeating
- gormandizing
- pigging out
2
as in jabbing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object the bird continued to peck the suet cake intently Synonyms & Similar Words
- jabbing
- picking
- stabbing
- puncturing
- piercing
- sticking
- spitting
- poking
- punching
- spearing
- slicing
- skewering
- spiking
- harpooning
- pinking
- impaling
- lancing
- goring
- running through
- transfixing
- transpiercing
- perforating
- spindling
- riddling
- cutting
- thrusting
- pricking
- piking
- bayoneting
- knifing
- gimleting
- bayonetting
- dirking
- poniarding
- pinpricking
- pronging
- quilling
Phrases Containing pecking
- Hieroglyphic Hittite
- hieroglyphic script
- hieroglyphical
- hieroglyphically
- hieroglyphics
- hieroglyphist
- hieroglyphists
- hieroglyphs
- hierogram
- hierogrammat
- hierogrammate
- hierogrammates
- hierogrammatic
- hierogrammatical
- hierogrammats
- hierograms
- hierograph
- hierographers
- hierographic
- hierographical
- hierographs
- hierography
- hierolatries
- hierolatry
- hierolatryes