I. ˈpek noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English pek, from Old French
1.
a. : either of two units of dry capacity equal to 1/4 bushel:
(1) : a United States unit equivalent to 537.605 cubic inches
(2) : a British unit equivalent to 554.84 cubic inches — see measure table
b. : the quantity measured by a peck
c. : a container used as a peck measure
2. : a large quantity or number
a peck of trouble
a peck of dirt
a peck of uncertainties and doubts — John Milton
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English pecken, alteration of piken to pierce — more at pick
transitive verb
1.
a. : to strike, pierce, or make holes in (as wood) with or as if with quick movements of the beak
pecked the tree all morning
b. : to kiss in a quick perfunctory fashion
she pecked his forehead — John Galsworthy
2. : to pick up (as food) with the beak
give the hens a feed of whole grain … to peck and pick over — Emily Holt
— often used with up
watching hens … peck up the pulps from the sand — Lillian Smith
3.
a. : to make or produce by repeated strokes of the beak or of a pointed tool
the group of elk were pecked out … on a rocky monolith — W.D.Hartley
figures … pecked into the rock — F.H.H.Roberts
b. : to shape (stone) by striking or abrading with a hammerstone
stone was … pecked and ground into cylindrical pestles — A.C.Spaulding
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to strike, pierce, or pick up something with repeated small blows or movements with or as if with a beak — often used with at
a hen that pecks all day
pecked at the hard ground with a pickaxe
b. : to deliver a series of petty and repeated blows — usually used with at
left hand pecked … at the old fighter's eyes — Donn Byrne
there wasn't any use just pecking at them — J.P.Marquand
c. : carp , scold , nag — usually used with at
my wife keeps peckin' at me — H.L.Davis
d. : to strike the keys especially of a typewriter or piano with quick downward thrusts of the fingers — usually used with at
started pecking at the keys — Eleanor Bayer
pecking away at the yellowed keys — Frank Brookhouser
2.
a. : eat
wants to know if you'll peck with us — Richard Dehan
b. : to bite daintily : nibble — usually used with at
pecked, without enthusiasm, at a lamb chop — P.B.Kyne
III. noun
( -s )
1. : food , grub 3
2. : an impression or hole made by pecking
3.
a. : an act of pecking : a quick sharp stroke (as with the beak of a bird or a pointed instrument)
b. : a kiss like a bird's peck
leaned down to give her a brief peck on the cheek — Louis Auchincloss
4. : peckiness
IV. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: alteration of pick (to pitch)
transitive verb
chiefly dialect : pitch , fling , jerk
intransitive verb
of a horse : to stumble as a result of landing on the toe after taking a jump
pecked badly, but recovered and won by a head — Adrian Bell
V.
dialect
variant of pick