I. ˈpik 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
pick ed 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 pick ed out the most expensive dress
c. : to make (one's way) slowly and carefully
pick ed 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
pick ing 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
pick ing listlessly at his dinner
•
- pick and choose
- pick at
- pick on
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
[
pick 2c
]
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