cherry-pick

cher·ry-pick

(chĕr′ē-pĭk′)tr.v. cher·ry-picked, cher·ry-pick·ing, cher·ry-picks To choose in a highly selective manner; select only the best or most suitable of: "politicians [who] try to cherry-pick judges who agree with them and attack those who do not" (Jeffrey Rosen).

cherry-pick

vb (tr) to choose or take the best or most profitable of (a number of things), esp for one's own benefit or gain: cherry-pick the best routes.

cherry-pick

Past participle: cherry-picked
Gerund: cherry-picking

Imperative
cherry-pick
cherry-pick

Present
I cherry-pick
you cherry-pick
he/she/it cherry-picks
we cherry-pick
you cherry-pick
they cherry-pick

Preterite
I cherry-picked
you cherry-picked
he/she/it cherry-picked
we cherry-picked
you cherry-picked
they cherry-picked

Present Continuous
I am cherry-picking
you are cherry-picking
he/she/it is cherry-picking
we are cherry-picking
you are cherry-picking
they are cherry-picking

Present Perfect
I have cherry-picked
you have cherry-picked
he/she/it has cherry-picked
we have cherry-picked
you have cherry-picked
they have cherry-picked

Past Continuous
I was cherry-picking
you were cherry-picking
he/she/it was cherry-picking
we were cherry-picking
you were cherry-picking
they were cherry-picking

Past Perfect
I had cherry-picked
you had cherry-picked
he/she/it had cherry-picked
we had cherry-picked
you had cherry-picked
they had cherry-picked

Future
I will cherry-pick
you will cherry-pick
he/she/it will cherry-pick
we will cherry-pick
you will cherry-pick
they will cherry-pick

Future Perfect
I will have cherry-picked
you will have cherry-picked
he/she/it will have cherry-picked
we will have cherry-picked
you will have cherry-picked
they will have cherry-picked

Future Continuous
I will be cherry-picking
you will be cherry-picking
he/she/it will be cherry-picking
we will be cherry-picking
you will be cherry-picking
they will be cherry-picking

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been cherry-picking
you have been cherry-picking
he/she/it has been cherry-picking
we have been cherry-picking
you have been cherry-picking
they have been cherry-picking

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been cherry-picking
you will have been cherry-picking
he/she/it will have been cherry-picking
we will have been cherry-picking
you will have been cherry-picking
they will have been cherry-picking

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been cherry-picking
you had been cherry-picking
he/she/it had been cherry-picking
we had been cherry-picking
you had been cherry-picking
they had been cherry-picking

Conditional
I would cherry-pick
you would cherry-pick
he/she/it would cherry-pick
we would cherry-pick
you would cherry-pick
they would cherry-pick

Past Conditional
I would have cherry-picked
you would have cherry-picked
he/she/it would have cherry-picked
we would have cherry-picked
you would have cherry-picked
they would have cherry-picked

Translations

cherry-pick

1. To choose something very carefully to ensure that the best option is chosen, perhaps through means that provide one an unfair advantage or from a selection that others do not have ready access to. I can't believe he left the company and then cherry-picked the best employee in my department! Yes, you will get to cherry-pick all the equipment that goes into your studio.2. slang In sports such as basketball and soccer (football), to position oneself away from the current play on one's opponent's defensive end for an opportunity to receive the ball and score an easy basket or goal. We might not have gotten scored on if you had actually been playing defense instead of cherry-picking!

cherry-pick something

Fig. to choose something very carefully. (As if one were closely examining cherries on the tree, looking for the best.) We have to cherry-pick the lumber we want to use for the cabinetry. Nothing but the best will do.