pick

pick
I. verb Etymology: Middle English piken, partly from Old English *pīcian (akin to Middle Dutch picken to prick); partly from Middle French piquer to prick — more at pike Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to pierce, penetrate, or break up with a pointed instrument <
picked the hard clay
>
2. a. to remove bit by bit <
pick meat from bones
>
b. to remove covering or adhering matter from <
pick the bones
>
3. a. to gather by plucking <
pick apples
>
b. choose, select <
tried to pick the shortest route
>
<
she picked out the most expensive dress
>
c. to make (one's way) slowly and carefully <
picked his way through the rubble
>
4. a. pilfer, rob <
pick pockets
>
b. to obtain useful information from by questioning — used in such phrases as pick the brains of 5. provoke <
pick a quarrel
>
6. a. to dig into ; probe <
picking his teeth
>
b. to pluck (as a guitar) with a pick or with the fingers c. to loosen or pull apart with a sharp point <
pick wool
>
7. to unlock with a device (as a wire) other than the key <
pick a lock
>
intransitive verb 1. to use or work with a pick 2. to gather or harvest something by plucking 3. pilfer — used in the phrase picking and stealing 4. to eat sparingly or mincingly <
picking listlessly at his dinner
>
II. noun Date: 15th century 1. a blow or stroke with a pointed instrument 2. a. the act or privilege of choosing or selecting ; choice <
take your pick
>
b. the best or choicest one <
the pick of the herd
>
c. one that is picked <
his pick for vice president
>
3. the portion of a crop gathered at one time <
the first pick of peaches
>
4. a screen in basketball III. noun Etymology: Middle English pik Date: 14th century 1. a heavy wooden-handled iron or steel tool pointed at one or both ends — compare mattock 2. a. toothpick b. picklock c. a small thin piece (as of plastic or metal) used to pluck the strings of a stringed instrument 3. one of the points on the forepart of the blade of a skate used in figure skating 4. a comb with long widely spaced teeth used to give height to a hair style IV. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English pykken to pitch (a tent); akin to Middle English picchen to pitch Date: 1523 1. chiefly dialect to throw or thrust with effort ; hurl 2. to throw (a shuttle) across the loom V. noun Date: 1627 1. dialect England a. the act of pitching or throwing b. something thrown 2. a. a throw of the shuttle b. a filling thread

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Pick — steht für: Pick (Werkzeug), ein beim Lockpicking verwendetes Werkzeug Pick (Betriebssystem), ein Betriebssystem Pick (Wurstfabrik), gegründet 1869 von Márk Pick Pick (Logistik), eine logistische Tätigkeit bzw. Zähleinheit Pick Motor Company,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • pick-up — [ pikɶp ] n. m. inv. • 1928; mot angl. (1867), de to pick up « ramasser, recueillir » ♦ Anglic. 1 ♦ Techn. Dispositif servant à recueillir et transformer en courant variable des vibrations sonores enregistrées sur disques. ⇒ lecteur. Cour. Bras,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • pick — Ⅰ. pick [1] ► VERB 1) (often pick up) take hold of and move. 2) remove (a flower or fruit) from where it is growing. 3) choose from a number of alternatives. 4) remove unwanted matter from (one s nose or teeth) with a finger or a pointed… …   English terms dictionary

  • Pick — (p[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Picked} (p[i^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Picking}.] [OE. picken, pikken, to prick, peck; akin to Icel. pikka, Sw. picka, Dan. pikke, D. pikken, G. picken, F. piquer, W. pigo. Cf. {Peck}, v., {Pike}, {Pitch} to throw.] 1 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pick — pick1 [pik] vt. [ME pykken, var. of picchen, to PITCH2] Weaving to throw (a shuttle) n. 1. one passage or throw of the shuttle of a loom 2. one of the weft threads, or filling yarns pick2 [pik] n. [ …   English World dictionary

  • pick — [pɪk] verb pick up phrasal verb 1. [intransitive] if business or trade picks up, it improves 2. [transitive] pick something → up informal to buy something, especially for a low price: • Homes here can be picked up for as little as £30,000 …   Financial and business terms

  • pick up — {v.} 1. To take up; lift. * /During the morning Mrs. Carter picked up sticks in the yard./ 2. {informal} To pay for someone else. * /After lunch, in the restaurant, Uncle Bob picked up the check./ 3. To take on or away; receive; get. * /At the… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • pick up — {v.} 1. To take up; lift. * /During the morning Mrs. Carter picked up sticks in the yard./ 2. {informal} To pay for someone else. * /After lunch, in the restaurant, Uncle Bob picked up the check./ 3. To take on or away; receive; get. * /At the… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Pick — Pick, n. [F. pic a pickax, a pick. See {Pick}, and cf. {Pike}.] 1. A sharp pointed tool for picking; often used in composition; as, a toothpick; a picklock. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mining & Mech.) A heavy iron tool, curved and sometimes pointed at… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pick-up — auch: Pick|up 〈[ ʌ̣p] m. 6〉 1. Tonabnehmer 2. 〈Kfz〉 Personenkraftwagen, bei dem sich anstelle der Rücksitze eine offene Ladefläche befindet [<engl. pick up „aufnehmen“] * * * Pick up [pɪk |ap , engl.: pɪkʌp ], der; s, s [engl. pick up, zu: to… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • pick-up — ♦♦♦ pick ups also pickup 1) N COUNT A pick up or a pick up truck is a small truck with low sides that can be easily loaded and unloaded. 2) N SING: usu N in n A pick up in trade or in a country s economy is an improvement in it. ...a pick up in… …   English dictionary

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