peck
Peck is defined as to hit an object with something sharp, pick something up or make a hole with a beak.
(verb)An example of peck is a bird hitting a person on the head with their beak.
Peck means a quick and casual kiss.
(noun)An example of a peck is a kiss on the cheek.
The definition of a peck is a unit of dry measurement.
(noun)An example of a peck is eight dry quarts.
See peck in Webster's New World College Dictionary
transitive verb
- to strike with a pointed object, as with a beak
- to make by doing this: to peck a hole
- to pick up with the beak; get by pecking
Origin: ME pecken, var. of picken, pick, in specialized senses
intransitive verb
noun
- a stroke so made, as with the beak
- a mark made as by pecking
- Informal a quick, casual kiss: a peck on the forehead
noun
- a unit of dry measure, equal to bushel or 8 dry quarts (8.8096 dry liters or 0.3111 cubic foot): abbrev. pk
- any container with a capacity of one peck
- Informal a large amount, as of trouble
Origin: ME pek < OFr, prob. < ML bika, liquid measure, ult. < Gr bikos, wine jar: see beaker
See peck in American Heritage Dictionary 4
verb pecked, peck·ing, pecks verb, transitive
- To strike with the beak or a pointed instrument.
- To make (a hole, for example) by striking repeatedly with the beak or a pointed instrument.
- To grasp and pick up with the beak: The bird pecked insects from the log.
- Informal To kiss briefly and casually.
- To make strokes with the beak or a pointed instrument.
- To eat in small sparing bits; nibble: He pecked at his dinner.
- To criticize repeatedly; carp.
- a. A stroke or light blow with the beak or a pointed instrument.b. A mark or hole made by such a stroke.
- Informal A light quick kiss.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English pecken
Origin: , probably variant of piken, to peck (perhaps influenced by Middle Low German pekken); see pick1
.noun
- Abbr. pk.a. A unit of dry volume or capacity in the U.S. Customary System equal to 8 quarts or approximately 537.6 cubic inches.b. A unit of dry volume or capacity in the British Imperial System equal to 8 quarts or approximately 554.8 cubic inches. See Table at measurement.
- A container holding or measuring a peck.
- Informal A large quantity; a lot: a peck of troubles.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English
.
, Gregory 1916-2003.
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