pick away

pick away

To remove something by picking it, usually with one's fingers. A noun or pronoun can be used between "pick" and "away." The child sat picking raisins away from her cookie. I had to pick away the cat hair from my suit before the interview.See also: away, pick

pick something away

to pull or pinch something loose from something. Mary picked the meat away from the bones. He picked away the burrs.See also: away, pick