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pick

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Pick is defined as to choose or open a lock without a key.

(verb)

An example of to pick is to decide on chocolate ice cream for dessert.
An example of to pick is to open a locked door with a paper clip.

Pick is the act of choosing or what is chosen.

(noun)

An example of a pick is the process of choosing a dessert.
An example of a pick is the selected flavor of ice cream.

See pick in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

Weaving to throw (a shuttle)

Origin: ME pykken, var. of picchen, to pitch

noun

one passage or throw of the shuttle of a loom
one of the weft threads, or filling yarns

noun

a heavy tool used as in breaking up soil or rock: the metal head is long, narrow, and slightly curved, and pointed at one or both ends, with a wooden handle fitted into its center
any of several pointed tools or instruments for picking: usually in combination: toothpick
plectrum
1. a slender, plastic pin used to hold hair rollers in place
2. ☆ a comb with widely spaced teeth, used for fine, curly hair

Origin: ME pike < OE pic, pike

transitive verb

to break up, pierce, or dig up (soil, rock, etc.) with something sharply pointed; use a pick on
to make or form (a hole) with something pointed
1. to dig, probe, or scratch at with the fingers or with something pointed in an attempt to remove
2. to clear something from (the teeth) in this way
to remove by pulling as with the fingers; specif., to pluck or gather (flowers, berries, etc.)
to clear (something) in this way; specif.,
1. to prepare (a fowl) by removing the feathers
2. to remove the fruit from (a tree, orchard, etc.)
1. to take up (food, etc.) in small pieces, as a bird with its bill; peck
2. to eat sparingly or daintily
to pull (fibers, rags, etc.) apart
to choose; select; cull
to look for and find excuse or occasion for (a quarrel or fight)
to look for purposefully and find: to pick flaws
☆
1. to pluck (the strings on a guitar, banjo, etc.)
2. to play (a guitar, banjo, etc.) in this way
to open (a lock) as with a wire instead of a key, esp. in a stealthy manner
to steal from (another's pocket, purse, etc.)

Origin: ME picken, akin to MDu picken, pecken, ON pikka; prob. infl. by OFr piquer, to pierce < pic, pike

intransitive verb

to eat sparingly or fussily
to thieve or pilfer
to use a pick
to gather growing berries, flowers, etc.
to be picked: grapes pick easily
to select or choose, esp. in a careful or fussy manner
☆ to play the guitar, banjo, etc.

noun

the act of picking; stroke or blow with something pointed
1. the act or right of choosing
2. the person or thing chosen; choice
the best or most desirable one or ones
the amount of a crop picked at one time
☆ Basketball screen ()

See pick in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb picked, pick·ing, picks

verb, transitive

a. To select from a group: The best swimmer was picked.
b. To select or cull.
a. To gather in; harvest: They were picking cotton.
b. To gather the harvest from: picked the field in one day.
a. To remove the outer covering of; pluck: pick a chicken clean of feathers.
b. To tear off bit by bit: pick meat from the bones.
To remove extraneous matter from (the teeth).
To poke and pull at (something) with the fingers.
To break up, separate, or detach by means of a sharp pointed instrument.
To pierce or make (a hole) with a sharp pointed instrument.
To take up (food) with the beak; peck: The parrot picked its seed.
To steal the contents of: My pocket was picked.
To open (a lock) without the use of a key.
To provoke: pick a fight.
Music
a. To pluck (an instrument's strings).
b. To play (an instrument) by plucking its strings.
c. To play (a tune) in this manner: picked a melody out on the guitar.

verb, intransitive

To decide with care or forethought.
To work with a pick.
To find fault or make petty criticisms; carp: He's always picking about something.
To be harvested or gathered: The ripe apples picked easily.

noun

The act of picking, especially with a sharp pointed instrument.
The act of selecting or choosing; choice: got first pick of the desserts.
Something selected as the most desirable; the best or choicest part: the pick of the crop.
The amount or quantity of a crop that is picked by hand.
Basketball A screen.

Phrasal Verbs: pick apart To refute or find flaws in by close examination: The lawyer picked the testimony apart. pick at To pluck or pull at, especially with the fingers. To eat sparingly or without appetite: The child just picked at the food. Informal To nag: Don't pick at me. pick off To shoot after singling out: The hunter picked the ducks off one by one. Baseball To catch (a base runner) off base and put out with a quick throw, as from the pitcher or catcher, often to a specified base. Sports To intercept, as a football pass. pick on To tease or bully. pick out To choose or select: picked out a nice watch. To discern from the surroundings; distinguish: picked out their cousins from the crowd. pick over To sort out or examine item by item: picked over the grapes before buying them. pick up

a. To take up (something) by hand: pick up a book.

b. To collect or gather: picked up some pebbles.

c. To tidy up: picked up the bedroom.

To take on (passengers or freight, for example): The bus picks up commuters at five stops. Informal

a. To acquire casually or by accident: picked up a new coat on sale.

b. To acquire (knowledge) by learning or experience: picked up French quickly.

c. To claim: picked up her car at the repair shop.

d. To buy: picked up some milk at the store.

e. To accept (a bill or charge) in order to pay it: Let me pick up the tab.

f. To come down with (a disease): picked up a virus at school.

g. To gain: picked up five yards on that play.

Informal To take into custody: The agents picked up six smugglers. Slang To make casual acquaintance with, usually in anticipation of sexual relations.

a. To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.

b. To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.

To continue after a break: Let's pick up the discussion after lunch. Informal To improve in condition or activity: Sales picked up last fall. Slang To prepare a sudden departure: She just picked up and left.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English piken, to prick

Origin: , from Old English *pīcian, to prick

Origin: , and from Old French piquer, to pierce (from Vulgar Latin *piccāre; see pique )

Related Forms:

pickˈer noun

noun

A tool for breaking hard surfaces, consisting of a curved bar sharpened at both ends and fitted to a long handle.
a. Something, such as an ice pick, toothpick, or picklock, used for picking.
b. A long-toothed comb, usually designed for use on curly hair.
c. A pointed projection on the front of the blade of a figure skate.
Music A plectrum.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English pik

Origin: , variant of pike, sharp point; see pike ⁵

noun