verb | noun
pickpick1 /pɪk/ ●●● S1 W1 verb [transitive] 1
CHOOSE something to choose someone or something from a group or range of people or things SYN choose: Katie picked the blue dress.pick somebody as something The magazine’s readers picked her as their favorite actor.pick somebody/something for something I didn’t get picked for the basketball team.pick somebody to do something Two students were picked to represent our school at the debate.► see thesaurus at choose2FLOWERS/FRUIT ETC. to pull off or break off a flower, fruit, nut, etc. from a plant or tree: Laura’s in the garden picking tomatoes.pick somebody something Here, I picked you an apple.pick a bunch/basketful/couple etc. We picked two basketfuls of strawberries. These lilacs are freshly picked (=picked very recently).go grape/berry etc. picking (=pick a type of fruit for your own use)3REMOVE SMALL THINGS to remove small things from something, or pull off small pieces of something: pick something off/from etc. She was picking pieces of fluff off her sweater. Stevie, stop picking your nose (=putting your finger in your nose to clean it)! Sam has an annoying habit of picking his teeth (=removing pieces of food from your teeth, with your fingers). Wolves had picked the sheep’s carcass clean (=ate all of the meat from the bones).4KEEP TOUCHING/PULLING to touch, pull, or scratch something many times with your fingers: She kept picking a scab on her arm.5pick and choose informal to choose only the things you really like or want from a group and ignore the others: You can’t just pick and choose which laws you’re going to follow.6pick your way through/across/among etc. to move slowly and carefully, choosing exactly where to put your feet down: Rescue workers picked their way through the rubble.7pick a fight (with somebody) to deliberately start an argument or fight with someone: Jerry’s always trying to pick a fight.8pick somebody’s brain(s) to ask someone who knows a lot about something for information and advice about it: I’d like to pick your brains about some legal matters.9pick a lock (with something) to use something that is not a key to unlock a door, drawer, etc.10pick somebody’s pocket to quietly steal something from someone’s pocket → see also pickpocket11pick holes in something to criticize a plan, an idea, etc.: I had no trouble picking holes in her theory.12pick a winner informal an expression meaning “to make a very good choice,” sometimes used in a joking way when you think someone has made a very bad choice13pick somebody/something to pieces informal to criticize someone or something very severely and in a very detailed way14MUSICAL INSTRUMENT eng. lang. arts to play a musical instrument by pulling at its strings with your fingers[Origin: 1200–1300 partly from unrecorded Old English pician; partly from Old French piquer to prick] → see also I have a bone to pick with you at bone1 (5)pick at something phrasal verb1to eat something by taking small bites but without much interest, for example because you feel unhappy: Elaine just sat there picking at her dinner.► see thesaurus at eat2to touch something again and again with your fingers, often pulling it slightly: Don’t pick at your scab.pick somebody/something ↔ off phrasal verb to shoot people or animals that are some distance away one at a time, by taking careful aim: One by one, the gunman picked off the soldiers below.pick on somebody/something phrasal verb spoken to treat someone in a way that is not kind: Stop picking on me!pick somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb1to choose someone or something carefully SYN choose, select: We had fun picking out a present for Susan.2to recognize someone or something in a group of people or things: It was hard to pick out faces he knew in the crowd.3to play a tune on a musical instrument, slowly or with difficulty: Connor sat at the piano picking out a simple melody.4if a light picks out something, it shines on it so that it can be seen or seen more clearlypick over something phrasal verb to examine a group of small things very carefully in order to choose the ones you want: The best fruit had been picked over by the time we got to the store.pick through something phrasal verb to search through a pile or group of things, especially to find something: Police are still picking through the rubble.pick up phrasal verb1LIFT UP pick somebody/something ↔ up to lift someone or something up from a surface, usually with your hands: Mommy can you pick me up? He picked up the letter and read it.pick something up by something The lioness picked up her cub by its neck. Just as I picked up the phone (=lifted it to talk into it), it stopped ringing.2GO GET something pick something ↔ up to go somewhere, usually in a vehicle, in order to get someone or something: I’ll come by tonight to pick up my books. For more information, pick up a leaflet at your local post office.3LET somebody INTO A VEHICLE pick somebody ↔ up to let someone get into your car, boat, etc. and take him or her somewhere: We stopped to pick up a couple of hitchhikers. Could you pick me up at the office around eight?4BUY something pick something ↔ up to buy something, while you are going somewhere or doing something: Do you want me to pick up some eggs while I’m out?► see thesaurus at buy15WIN something pick something ↔ up to win or be given something such as a prize: She picked up an Oscar for that movie.6CLEAN A PLACE pick something ↔ up to put things away neatly, or to clean a place this way: Could you pick all those papers up for me? Pick up the living room before you go to bed. I’m always picking up after him (=putting things away that he has used).7IMPROVE if business, your social life, etc. picks up, it improves SYN improve: Sales should pick up again in November.8HABIT/BEHAVIOR pick something ↔ up if you pick up a habit or a way of behaving, you start to do it because you have spent a lot of time with a particular group of people or in a particular place: The children had all picked up the local accent.9FEEL BETTER pick somebody ↔ up if a medicine, drink, etc. picks you up, it makes you feel better → see also pick-me-up10pick up the bill/tab (for something) informal to pay for something that someone else has done, eaten, etc.: The company’s picking up the bill for my trip to Hawaii.11pick yourself up to stand up after falling down: Carol picked herself up and dusted herself off.12something picks up speed (also something’s speed picks up) if something that is moving picks up speed or its speed picks up, it starts to go faster: The train was gradually picking up speed.13pick up speed/steam/momentum etc. a)to begin to develop, grow, or become more important: The economy was picking up steam, and voters were hopeful. b)to begin to have more energy or confidence: The Packers seem to be picking up steam after their win last week.14LEARN pick something ↔ up to learn a skill, language, or idea without much effort or without being taught in a class: I’ve picked up a few words of Russian, since I got here.► see thesaurus at learn15NEWS/INFORMATION pick something ↔ up to learn something such as a useful piece of information, an interesting idea, or a story about someone: Here’s a useful cooking tip I picked up recently.16the wind/beat etc. picks up if the wind, a musical beat, etc. picks up, it increases or becomes stronger: The wind’s picking up a little bit.17pick up the slack to work harder when the person who usually does the work cannot or is not doing it: With Nicole gone, all of our staff will be picking up the slack.18GET AN ILLNESS pick something ↔ up informal to get an illness from someone, or to become sick: pick up something from somebody/something I think I picked up a cold from someone at work.19NOTICE pick something ↔ up to see, hear, or smell something, especially when it is difficult: Rescue dogs were able to pick up the scent of the child.20RADIO/RECORDING pick something ↔ up if a machine picks up a sound, signal, or movement, it is able to change it into pictures, record it, etc.: Radar has picked up a new storm front.21START AGAIN pick something ↔ up if a conversation, meeting, etc. picks up or if you pick it up, it starts again from the point where it was interrupted: Let’s pick up again in Chapter 11. Luckily, Maggie was able to pick up where she left off at work, even after being sick for so long.22A CRIMINAL pick somebody ↔ up if the police pick someone up, they find him or her and take him or her to the police station: Authorities picked Linden up at a border crossing.23SEX pick somebody ↔ up to talk to someone you do not know because you want to have sex with him or her: Kathy said some guy tried to pick her up at a bar.24A COLOR pick something ↔ up if a color or a piece of furniture picks up the color of something else, it has small amounts of that color in it so that it matches: I like the way the curtains pick up the red and yellow in the rug.25pick up the pieces (of something) if you pick up the pieces of a business, relationship, etc. that has had serious problems, you try to make it work again: earthquake victims picking up the pieces of their lives26pick up the threads (of something) if you pick up the threads of a relationship, a way of life, or an idea that has been interrupted, you try to start it again: He’s trying to pick up the threads of his life again.27pick your feet up used to tell someone to walk properly or more quicklypick up on something phrasal verb1to notice something, especially when doing this is difficult SYN notice, sense: Children easily pick up on tension between their parents.2to notice something and realize that it is important, and take action because of it SYN spot: Genny is good at picking up on trends in the stock market.3to return to a point or an idea that has been mentioned and discuss it more SYN go back to: I’d like to pick up on a point that Steven made earlier. verb | noun
pickpick2 ●●○ noun 1take your pick (of somebody/something) to choose someone or something from a group of people or things: The shirt comes in four colors, so take your pick.2the pick of something the best thing or things of a group: It’s the pick of this month’s new movies.the pick of the crop/bunch/litter (=the best in the group)3have your pick of something to be able to choose anyone or anything you want from a group of people or things, because you are very good or very lucky: Sarah could have her pick of any of the top ten schools in the country.4have/get first pick (of something) to be allowed to choose anyone or anything you want from a group of people or things before anyone else is allowed to choose: She always gets first pick!5[countable] informal someone or something that is chosen from among other people or things SYN choice: Stanhope’s horse would be my pick to win the race.6[countable] a pickax7[countable] eng. lang. arts a small flat object used to pull the strings of an instrument such as a guitar when you play it8a type of comb used for very curly hair → see also ice pick