pick

I

[[t]pɪk[/t]]

v. t.

1) to choose or select, esp. with care

2) to seek and find occasion for; provoke:

to pick a fight[/ex]

3) to attempt to find; seek out:

to pick flaws in an argument[/ex]

4) to steal the contents of:

to pick a pocket[/ex]

5) to open (a lock) with a device other than the key, esp. for the purpose of burglary

6) to pierce, dig into, or break up (something) with a pointed instrument:

to pick ore[/ex]

7) to form (a hole) by such action

8) to use a pointed instrument or the fingers on (a thing), to remove particles or adhering matter:

to pick one's teeth[/ex]

9) to prepare for use by removing a covering, as feathers:

to pick a fowl[/ex]

10) to detach or remove piece by piece with the fingers:

to pick meat from the bones[/ex]

11) to pluck or gather one by one:

to pick flowers[/ex]

12) anb (of birds or other animals) to take up (small bits of food) with the bill or teeth

13) to eat daintily or in small morsels

14) to separate, pull apart, or pull to pieces:

to pick fibers[/ex]

15) mad

a) to pluck (the strings of a musical instrument)

b) to play (a stringed instrument) by plucking with the fingers

16) to use a pick or other pointed instrument on something

17) to select carefully or fastidiously

18) to pilfer; steal

19) to pluck or gather fruit, flowers, etc

20) cvb phv pick apart, to criticize severely or in great detail

21) phv pick at

a) phv to find fault with; nag

b) phv to eat sparingly or daintily

c) phv to grasp at; touch; handle

22) phv pick off

a) phv to remove by pulling or plucking off

b) phv to single out and shoot:

The hunter picked off a duck rising from the marsh[/ex]

c) baseball to put out (a base runner) in a pick-off play

23) phv pick on

a) to criticize or blame; tease; harass

b) phv to single out; choose

24) pick out

a) phv to choose; select

b) phv to distinguish from that which surrounds or accompanies:

to pick out a well-known face in a crowd[/ex]

c) phv to discern (sense or meaning)

d) phv to work out (a melody) note by note; play by ear

e) to extract by picking

25) phv pick over, to examine (an assortment of items) in order to make a selection

26) cvb pick up

a) phv to lift or take up:

to pick up a stone[/ex]

b) phv to cause (one's courage, health, etc.) to recover

c) phv to gain, obtain, or learn casually or by occasional opportunity:

I've picked up a few Japanese phrases[/ex]

d) phv to take on as a passenger

e) phv to bring into range of reception, observation, etc.:

to pick up Rome on one's radio[/ex]

f) phv to accelerate; gain (speed)

g) phv to put in good order; tidy

h) phv to make progress; improve:

Business is picking up[/ex]

i) phv to become acquainted with informally or casually, often in hope of a sexual relationship

j) phv to resume or continue after being left off

27) phv cvb pick up on, Informal.

become aware of; notice

28) the act of choosing or selecting; choice; selection:

Take your pick[/ex]

29) a person or thing selected

30) the choicest or most desirable part, example, or examples:

This horse is the pick of the stable[/ex]

31) the right of selection

32) agr. the quantity of a crop picked at a particular time

33) a stroke with something pointed

34) spo a basketball maneuver or positioning to prevent a defender from interfering with a teammate's shot

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- pick someone's brains

Etymology: 1250–1300; (v.) ME pyken, pikken, pekken, c. D pikken, G picken, ON pikka to pick; akin topeck2, pike5; (n.) der. of the v. II

pick

[[t]pɪk[/t]] n.

1) bui a heavy tool consisting of a curved metal head tapering to a point at one or both ends, mounted on a wooden handle, and used for breaking up soil, rock, etc

2) bui any pointed tool or instrument for picking:

an ice pick[/ex]

3) mad

plectrum

4) cvb sts a comb with long, widely spaced teeth

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Etymology: 1300–50; ME pikk(e); perh. var. ofpike5 III

pick

[[t]pɪk[/t]] v. t.

1) tex to cast (a shuttle)

2) tex (in a loom) one passage of the shuttle

3) tex a single thread of filling yarn

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Etymology: 1850–60; var. of pitch I