1. v. & n.
--v.tr.
1. strike or bite (something) with a beak.
2 kiss (esp. a person's cheek) hastily or perfunctorily.
3 a make (a hole) by pecking. b (foll. by out, off) remove or pluck out by pecking.
4 colloq. (also absol.) eat (food) listlessly; nibble at.
5 mark with short strokes.
6 (usu. foll. by up, down) break with a pick etc.
--n.
1. a a stroke or bite with a beak. b a mark made by this.
2 a hasty or perfunctory kiss.
3 sl. food.
Phrases and idioms:
peck at
1. eat (food) listlessly; nibble.
2 carp at; nag.
3 strike (a thing) repeatedly with a beak. pecking (or peck) order a social hierarchy, orig. as observed among hens.
Etymology: ME prob. f. MLG pekken, of unkn. orig. 2. n.1 a measure of capacity for dry goods, equal to 2 gallons or
8 quarts.
2 a vessel used to contain this amount.
Phrases and idioms:
a peck of a large number or amount of (troubles, dirt, etc.).
Etymology: ME f. AF pek, of unkn. orig.