I. verb
Etymology: Middle English piken up, from piken to pick + up — more at pick
transitive verb
1.
a. : to take up or lift from the ground or a low surface
picking up sticks for firewood
: lift or recover something dropped or fallen
bent to pick up his hat
tripped and fell, picked himself up and ran on
b. : to take or accept with the purpose of paying
offered to pick up the bill for all expenses of the trip
c. : to do over (a dropped stitch)
d. : to start (a knitting or crochet stitch) by inserting the needle into a loop of a finished stitch
2.
a. : to take (passengers or freight) into a vehicle or ship
b. : to rescue from the water
picked up by a passing freighter
3.
a.
(1) : to get by bits : acquire or gain as occasions offer : acquire casually
picked up a few dollars doing odd jobs
(2) : to learn informally
pick up a trade
where do you pick up such expressions
b. : to gather in or up one by one
time to pick up tools and go home
c. : to tidy up : put in order
this room must be picked up before the company comes
4.
a. : to happen upon or catch sight of
picked up the harbor lights
b. : to bring within the range of vision or audition (as by a telescope or radio) : discover or receive (as a radio wave or signal) by ear
5.
a. : to enter informally into conversation or companionship with
had a brief affair with a girl he picked up in a bar
b. : to find or come upon and take into custody
picked up by the police for questioning
6.
a. : to come to and follow
picked up the trail of the fugitives
b. : to respond promptly to (an acting cue)
if he picks up his cue and speaks promptly he will kill the laugh — Henning Nelms
c. : to move in conjunction with in an athletic contest: as
(1) : to move into position to guard (an opponent)
(2) : to move so as to gain the protection of (a teammate)
7. : pilfer
didn't bother to pick up any other valuables — New York Times
8. : to prepare (a meal) from materials at hand or already cooked
9.
a. : to brace up : revive the spirits of
a bite of something might pick you up as well as me — Ellen Glasgow
b. : to increase the speed or tempo of
urging the band to pick it up
10. : to resume (a narrative, an activity, or a relation) after a break
narrative switches back … to pick up its major characters — Eichard Sullivan
11. : lift 12
intransitive verb
1. : to recover speed, vigor, or activity (as after a check or setback)
business began to pick up towards summer
: improve
2. : to gain speed : accelerate
to see how fast they can pick up from a standing start — Lamp
3. : to strike up an acquaintance : enter informally on a relationship
the danger of picking up with anyone who happens to come along — Erle Stanley Gardner
4. : to gather up or pack up one's belongings
many other Georgians had picked up and gone to Texas — Laura Krey
II. verb
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- pick up on