~ 1
■ verb
1》 take hold of and remove (a flower or fruit) from where it is growing.
↘(often ~ someone/thing up ) take hold of and lift or move.
↘( ~ up ) Golf take hold of and lift up one's ball, especially when conceding a hole.
2》 choose from a number of alternatives.
↘( ~ one's way ) walk slowly and carefully.
3》 (often ~ at ) repeatedly pull at something with one's fingers.
↘eat in small amounts or without much appetite.
↘criticize someone in a niggling way.
4》 remove unwanted matter from (one's nose or teeth) with a finger or a pointed instrument.
5》 pluck the strings of (a guitar or banjo).
■ noun
1》 an act or the right of selecting something.
↘( the ~ of ) informal the best person or thing in a particular group.
2》 Basketball an act of blocking or screening a defensive player from the ball handler.
Phrases
~ and choose select only the best from among a number of alternatives.
~ someone's brains informal obtain information by questioning someone well informed.
~ a fight provoke an argument or fight.
~ holes in find fault with.
~ a lock open a lock with an instrument other than the proper key.
~ someone's pockets steal something surreptitiously from another person's pocket.
~ someone/thing to pieces (or apart ) criticize someone or something severely.
Phrasal verbs
~ someone/thing off shoot a member of a group from a distance.
~ on repeatedly single out for unfair criticism or unkind treatment.
~ someone/thing out distinguish or select someone or something from a group.
~ something out highlight something by painting or fashioning in a contrasting colour or medium.
~ something over (or ~ through ) sort through a number of items carefully.
~ up improve or increase.
~ someone up
1》 go somewhere to collect someone.
2》 informal casually strike up a relationship with someone as a sexual overture.
3》 return to a point or remark made by someone in order to criticize it.
~ something up
1》 collect something that has been left elsewhere.
2》 obtain, acquire, or learn something.
↘catch an illness or infection.
3》 detect or receive a signal or sound.
4》 resume something.
5》 (also ~ up on ) refer to or develop a point or topic mentioned earlier.
↘become aware of or sensitive to something.
6》 N. Amer. tidy a room or building.
Derivatives
~able adjective
~er noun
Origin
ME (orig. as pike ): of unknown origin.
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~ 2
■ noun
1》 a tool headed by a curved bar with a point at one end and a chisel edge or point at the other, used for breaking up hard ground or rock.
2》 an instrument for ~ing.
↘ informal a plectrum.
Origin
ME: var. of pike 2 .