pick

pick1 [ pık ] verb transitive ***

1. ) to choose someone or something from a group:

Out of all the girls he could have gone out with, he picked me.

pick someone/something for something: She was picked for the school play.

pick someone to do something: My friends picked me to ask the teacher.

a ) to choose the people you want to have in a particular group:

I haven't picked my team yet for the new project.

2. ) to take something with your fingers:

He was on his knees picking crumbs off the carpet.

a ) to get flowers or fruit by breaking them off their stems:

They spent the summer picking strawberries.

freshly picked flowers

3. ) pick or pick at to keep pulling something with your nails:

If you keep picking that scab, it will never heal.

4. ) to play a guitar or similar instrument by pulling the strings with your fingers: PLUCK

pick and choose (something)

to have the chance to choose the things you prefer, rather than simply accepting what someone gives you:

We cannot pick and choose which laws to obey.

pick someone's brains INFORMAL

to ask someone questions because you want them to give you advice or information:

I wanted to pick your brains about this idea I've had.

pick a fight/quarrel with someone

to start a fight or argument with someone

pick holes in something

to try and make an idea or piece of work seem bad by finding all the things that are wrong or missing:

It was almost impossible to pick holes in his argument.

pick a lock

to open a lock without a key, for example by using a piece of wire

pick your nose

to use your finger to remove MUCUS from inside your nose

pick someone's pocket

to steal things from someone's pocket

pick your teeth

to remove small pieces of food from between your teeth

pick something to pieces INFORMAL

to mention all the bad features of something and make it seem generally bad

pick your way somewhere

to move somewhere slowly and carefully when there are a lot of things in your way

pick a winner INFORMAL

to make a good decision that makes you successful

`pick at phrasal verb transitive pick at something

1. ) to eat only small amounts of a meal because you do not feel hungry:

Most of the time he just picks at his food.

2. ) same as PICK1 3:

He picked at a loose thread on his coat.

,pick `off phrasal verb transitive

to shoot people, animals, or aircraft one by one by aiming at them carefully from a distance

`pick on phrasal verb transitive

pick on someone to keep treating someone badly or unfairly, especially by criticizing them:

Why do you always pick on me?

a. pick on someone your own size INFORMAL used for telling someone to stop criticizing or attacking someone who is smaller or weaker than them

,pick `out phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to choose one thing or person from a group:

Have you picked out a dress for the party?

2. ) to recognize someone or something from a group:

You can pick out a liar by the nervous way they act.

3. ) to see someone or something when they are difficult to see:

The yellow coat makes her easier to pick out in a crowd.

a ) to shine a light on someone or something so that they are easy to see:

A woman in the crowd was picked out by a spotlight.

b ) to make something easy to see by painting or making it in a different color from what surrounds it:

the symbol of a flame picked out in yellow and red

,pick `over phrasal verb transitive pick over something

1. ) to examine a collection of things carefully so that you can decide which ones you want:

Birds were picking over the garbage in the street.

2. ) to talk about something in detail:

They spent ages picking over the flaws in his character.

`pick ,through phrasal verb transitive

pick through something to search through a collection of things in order to find something:

They are picking through the ruins, searching for survivors.

,pick `up phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to lift someone or something up from a surface:

He picked the phone up as soon as it rang.

She rushes to pick up the baby as soon as it starts to cry.

a ) transitive to lift things up and put them in the place where they are kept in order to make a place neat:

I've already asked them to pick their toys up.

I am constantly picking up the things the children leave lying around.

b ) intransitive or transitive AMERICAN to make a place clean and neat

c ) transitive to lift something up and take it away:

Pick up a pamphlet for me too.

2. ) transitive to go and meet someone or something that you have arranged to take somewhere in a vehicle:

Will you pick me up after the party?

I need to pick up my luggage before leaving.

a ) INFORMAL to arrest someone and take them away in a car:

He was picked up in the early hours of Thursday morning.

b ) to take someone who is waiting by the road into your vehicle and take them somewhere:

We picked up a hitchhiker on the way.

3. ) transitive to learn a new skill or start a habit without intending to:

She picked up a few German phrases while staying in Berlin.

a ) INFORMAL to get an illness: CATCH:

Most tourists are worried that they'll pick up a nasty stomach bug.

b ) INFORMAL to buy something:

a market where you can pick up some amazing bargains

c ) INFORMAL to receive an electronic signal on a radio or similar piece of equipment: RECEIVE:

I don't think this thing can pick up foreign stations.

d ) INFORMAL to earn money:

the huge salaries that professional athletes pick up these days

e ) INFORMAL to win something such as a prize:

The movie is tipped to pick up at least three Oscars.

4. ) transitive to notice a smell or sound, or that someone or something is present:

The dogs must have picked up his scent.

5. ) transitive INFORMAL to start talking to someone because you want to have sex with them:

She went home with some man she picked up at a bar.

6. ) intransitive or transitive to start something again, from the point where you stopped:

We'll pick up this conversation later.

pick up where you left off: He seems to think that we can get back together and just pick up where we left off.

7. ) intransitive to improve:

They won't let him out of the hospital until his health has picked up.

a ) if something such as the wind picks up, it becomes stronger

b ) pick up speed if something picks up speed, it starts to move faster: ACCELERATE

pick up the bill/tab INFORMAL

to pay for something:

Her father picks up the tab for her expensive lifestyle.

pick up the pieces

to try to return to a normal life after a difficult experience

pick up the threads (of something)

to return to a situation that existed before something went wrong

,pick `up ,after phrasal verb transitive

pick up after someone to make a place neat after someone else has made a mess there: CLEAR:

I'm fed up with having to pick up after you and your friends.

,pick `up on phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to notice something that is not very obvious:

This is something you would expect a friend to pick up on.

2. ) pick up on something to react to something that has happened or that you have noticed:

She had expected Dan to pick up on her lead and take the story further.

3. ) pick up on something to talk in more detail about something someone has mentioned:

I'd just like to pick up on a couple of points that you made.

pick

pick 2 [ pık ] noun count

1. ) a tool used for breaking roads and other hard surfaces consisting of a curved metal bar with one pointed end and one flat end and a long handle: PICKAX

2. ) INFORMAL a PLECTRUM for a guitar

have your pick of something

to be able to choose anyone or anything you want from a group:

She could have had her pick of the best jobs in the company.

the pick of something

the best people or things in a particular group:

Tonight we'll be bringing you the pick of today's games.

take your pick

to choose someone or something:

You can have any book you want; just take your pick.