[pick] vb [ME piken, partly fr. (assumed) OE pician (akin to MD picken to prick); partly fr. MF piquer to prick--more at pike] vt (14c) 1: to pierce, penetrate, or break up with a pointed instrument "~ed the hard clay"
2. a: to remove bit by bit "~ meat from bones" b: to remove covering or adhering matter from "~ the bones" 3 a: to gather by plucking "~ apples" b: choose, select "tried to ~ the shortest route" "she ~ed out the most expensive dress" c: to make (one's way) slowly and carefully "~ed his way through the rubble"
4. a: pilfer, rob "~ pockets" b: to obtain useful information from by questioning--used in such phrases as pick the brains of
5: provoke "~ a quarrel"
6. a: to dig into: probe "~ 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 "~ wool" 7: to unlock with a device (as a wire) other than the key "~ a lock" ~ vi 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 "~ing listlessly at his dinner" -- pick and choose : to select with care and deliberation -- pick at : to criticize repeatedly esp. for minor faults: nag -- pick on : to single out for criticism, teasing, or bullying "picked on smaller boys"; also: to single out for a particular purpose or for special attention
[2]pick n (15c) 1: a blow or stroke with a pointed instrument
2. a: the act or privilege of choosing or selecting: choice "take your ~" b: the best or choicest one "the ~ of the herd"
3: the portion of a crop gathered at one time "the first ~ of peaches"
4: a screen in basketball [3]pick n [ME pik] (14c) 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 [4]pick vt [ME pykken to pitch (a tent); akin to ME picchen to pitch] (1523) 1 chiefly dial: to throw or thrust with effort: hurl
2: to throw (a shuttle) across the loom [5]pick n (1627) 1 dial Eng a: the act of pitching or throwing b: something thrown
2. a: a throw of the shuttle b: a filling thread