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| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Origin: | Partly from unrecorded Old English pician; partly from Old French piquer 'to prick' |
1 to choose a person or thing, for example because they are the best or most suitable : 
Students have to pick three courses from a list of 15.I don't know which colour to pick.
choose something
Students have to pick three courses from a list of 15.I don't know which colour to pick.2 to remove a flower, fruit, nut etc from a plant or tree : We picked some blackberries to eat on the way. Amy picked a small bunch of wild flowers.
flowers/fruit etc
We picked some blackberries to eat on the way.Amy picked a small bunch of wild flowers.3 to remove something carefully from a place, especially something small
remove something
[always + adverb/preposition] pick something out of something The goalkeeper spent a lot of his time picking the ball out of the back of the net.
The goalkeeper spent a lot of his time picking the ball out of the back of the net.4 to walk in a slow careful way, choosing exactly where to put your feet down : She picked her way between the puddles. He picked his way down the narrow staircase.
pick your way through/across/among etc something
She picked her way between the puddles.He picked his way down the narrow staircase.6 to remove bits of food from between your teeth with your finger or a small pointed object
pick your teeth
DF7 to ask someone who knows a lot about something for information and advice about it : Have you got a minute? I need to pick your brains.
pick somebody's brains
Have you got a minute? I need to pick your brains.8 to deliberately start a quarrel or fight with someone : I could see he was trying to pick a fight with me.
pick a quarrel/fight (with somebody)
I could see he was trying to pick a fight with me.9 to choose only the best people or things, or only the ones that you really like : Come on, you haven't got time to pick and choose.
pick and choose
Come on, you haven't got time to pick and choose.10 to use something that is not a key to unlock a door, drawer etc : It's quite easy to pick the lock on a car door.
pick a lock
It's quite easy to pick the lock on a car door.11 to make a hole in something by pulling it with your fingers : He had picked a hole in his jumper.
pick a hole in something
He had picked a hole in his jumper.12 to criticize an idea or a plan by saying what its weak points are : It's easy to pick holes in her argument.
pick holes in something
informalIt's easy to pick holes in her argument.16 to criticize something very severely and in a very detailed way : I'm fed up with having my work picked to pieces.
pick something to pieces
informalI'm fed up with having my work picked to pieces.17 to play a musical instrument by pulling at its strings with your fingers [= pluck]
musical instrument
American EnglishAPM➔ have a bone to pick with somebody
at bone1 (10)pick at something
phrasal verb1 to eat only small amounts of food because you do not feel hungry or do not like the food : Paige could only pick at her meal, forcing down a mouthful or two.
Paige could only pick at her meal, forcing down a mouthful or two.2 to touch something many times with your fingers, pulling it slightly : She was picking at her skirt.
She was picking at her skirt.pick somebody/something ↔ off
phrasal verbThere were gunmen in some of the buildings who picked off our men as they went past.pick on somebody/something
phrasal verb1 to behave in an unfair way to someone, for example by blaming them or criticizing them unfairly : Why don't you pick on someone else for a change?
Why don't you pick on someone else for a change?2 British English to choose a particular person or thing : Just pick on one job and try to get that finished.
Just pick on one job and try to get that finished.pick somebody/something ↔ out
phrasal verb1 to choose someone or something from a group : She picked out a navy blue dress. His story was picked out as the best by the judges.
choose
She picked out a navy blue dress.His story was picked out as the best by the judges.2 to recognize someone or something in a group of people or things : She was able to pick out her father at the other side of the room. I picked out Valerie's voice from among the general conversation.
recognize
She was able to pick out her father at the other side of the room.I picked out Valerie's voice from among the general conversation.3 if you can pick something out, you can see it but not very clearly : I could just pick out some letters carved into the stone.
see
I could just pick out some letters carved into the stone.4 if something is picked out, it is in a different colour or material from the background, so that it can be clearly seen : His name was picked out in gold lettering.
shown clearly
[usually passive]His name was picked out in gold lettering.5 to play a tune on a musical instrument slowly or with difficulty : He sat at the piano and picked out a simple tune.
play a tune
APMHe sat at the piano and picked out a simple tune.pick over something
phrasal verbShe was sitting at the kitchen table picking over a pile of mushrooms.pick through something
phrasal verbPolice are still picking through the rubble looking for clues to the cause of the explosion.pick up
phrasal verb1 to lift something or someone up : He picked up the letter and read it. The phone rang and I picked it up. Mummy, can you pick me up? ➔ see usage note hold1
lift something/somebody up
pick something/somebody ↔ up
He picked up the letter and read it.The phone rang and I picked it up.Mummy, can you pick me up?2 to get up from the ground after you have fallen : Carol picked herself up and brushed the dirt off her coat.
pick yourself up
Carol picked herself up and brushed the dirt off her coat.3 to make a room or building tidy : Pick up your room before you go to bed.
tidy something
pick something ↔ up
American EnglishPick up your room before you go to bed.4
get something
pick something ↔ up
informala) to get or win something : He's already picked up three major prizes this year.
He's already picked up three major prizes this year.b) to buy something or get it from a shop etc : I picked up an evening paper on the way home. For more details, pick up a leaflet in your local post office.
I picked up an evening paper on the way home.For more details, pick up a leaflet in your local post office.c) to get an illness : I picked up a virus while I was in America.
I picked up a virus while I was in America.5 to collect something from a place : I'll pick my things up later. She just dropped by to pick up her mail.
collect
pick something ↔ up
I'll pick my things up later.She just dropped by to pick up her mail.6 to let someone get into your car, boat etc and take them somewhere : I'll pick you up at the station. The survivors were picked up by fishing boats from nearby villages.
let somebody into a vehicle
pick somebody ↔ up
I'll pick you up at the station.The survivors were picked up by fishing boats from nearby villages.7 to learn something by watching or listening to other people : I picked up a few words of Greek when I was there last year. Mary watched the other dancers to see if she could pick up any tips.
learn
pick something ↔ up
I picked up a few words of Greek when I was there last year.Mary watched the other dancers to see if she could pick up any tips.8 to notice something that is not easy to notice, such as a slight smell or a sign of something : I picked up a faint smell of coffee. The dogs picked up the scent and raced off.
notice
pick something ↔ up
I picked up a faint smell of coffee.The dogs picked up the scent and raced off.9 if a machine picks up a sound, movement, or signal, it is able to notice it or receive it : The sensors pick up faint vibrations in the Earth. I managed to pick up an American news broadcast.
radio/signals
pick something ↔ up
The sensors pick up faint vibrations in the Earth.I managed to pick up an American news broadcast.10 to become friendly with someone you have just met because you want to have sex with them : young women sitting around in bars waiting to be picked up
sex
pick somebody ↔ up
young women sitting around in bars waiting to be picked up11
start again
a) if you pick up where you stopped or were interrupted, you start again from that point :
b) if you pick up an idea that has been mentioned, you return to it and develop it further : I'd like to pick up what you said earlier. This same theme is picked up in his later works.
pick something ↔ up
I'd like to pick up what you said earlier.This same theme is picked up in his later works.12
improve
a) if a situation picks up, it improves : Her social life was picking up at last. The economy is finally beginning to pick up again.
Her social life was picking up at last.The economy is finally beginning to pick up again.b) if a medicine or drink picks you up, it makes you feel better [↪ pick-me-up]
pick somebody up
13 if you pick up a road, you go onto it and start driving along it : We take the A14 to Birmingham and then pick up the M5.
road
pick something ↔ up
We take the A14 to Birmingham and then pick up the M5.14 if you pick up a train, bus etc you get onto it and travel on it
train/bus
pick something ↔ up
16 to pay for something : Why should the taxpayer pick up the tab for mistakes made by a private company?
pick up the bill/tab (for something)
informalWhy should the taxpayer pick up the tab for mistakes made by a private company?17 if the wind picks up, it increases or grows stronger
wind
18 if one thing picks up a colour in something else, it has an amount of the same colour in it so that the two things look nice together : I like the way the curtains pick up the red in the rug.
colour
pick something ↔ up
I like the way the curtains pick up the red in the rug.19 if the police pick someone up, they take them somewhere to answer questions or to be locked up : He was picked up by police as he was trying to leave the country.
criminal
pick somebody ↔ up
He was picked up by police as he was trying to leave the country.20 to try to make your life normal again after something very bad has happened to you : Thousands of victims of the earthquake are now faced with the task of picking up the pieces of their lives.
pick up the pieces (of something)
Thousands of victims of the earthquake are now faced with the task of picking up the pieces of their lives.21 if you pick up the threads of something that you were doing, you try to return to it and start doing it again after it stopped or was changed : Now that the war was over they could pick up the threads of their lives again.
pick up the threads (of something)
Now that the war was over they could pick up the threads of their lives again.pick up after somebody
phrasal verbI'm tired of picking up after you!pick up on something
phrasal verb1 to notice something about the way someone is behaving or feeling, even though they are trying not to show it : Children pick up on our worries and anxieties.
Children pick up on our worries and anxieties.2 to return to a point or an idea that has been mentioned and discuss it more : I'd like to pick up on a point that Steven made earlier.
I'd like to pick up on a point that Steven made earlier.3 to criticize someone slightly for something they have said : I knew he was lying and I should have picked him up on it.
pick somebody up on something
I knew he was lying and I should have picked him up on it.WORD FOCUS: choose WORD FOCUS: choose
similar words: select, pick, appoint, nominate, go for, plump for, opt forchoose
➔ See also choose
WORD FOCUS: choose similar words: select, pick, appoint, nominate, go for, plump for, opt forchoose
➔ See also choose
