PICK

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pick mean? 

• PICK (noun)
  The noun PICK has 9 senses:

1. the person or thing chosen or selected

2. the quantity of a crop that is harvested

3. the best people or things in a group

4. the yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving

5. a small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument

6. a thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted material

7. a heavy iron tool with a wooden handle and a curved head that is pointed on both ends

8. a basketball maneuver; obstructing an opponent with one's body

9. the act of choosing or selecting

  Familiarity information: PICK used as a noun is familiar.

• PICK (verb)
  The verb PICK has 12 senses:

1. select carefully from a group

2. look for and gather

3. harass with constant criticism

4. provoke

5. remove in small bits

6. remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits

7. pilfer or rob

8. pay for something

9. pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion

10. attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example

11. hit lightly with a picking motion

12. eat intermittently; take small bites of

  Familiarity information: PICK used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PICK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The person or thing chosen or selected

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

choice; pick; selection

Context example:

he was my pick for mayor

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

deciding; decision making (the cognitive process of reaching a decision)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

pleasure (a formal expression)

favorite; favourite (something regarded with special favor or liking)

way (doing as one pleases or chooses)

Derivation:

pick (select carefully from a group)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quantity of a crop that is harvested

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

pick; picking

Context example:

it was the biggest peach pick in years

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

output; production; yield (the quantity of something (as a commodity) that is created (usually within a given period of time))

Derivation:

pick (look for and gather)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The best people or things in a group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

cream; pick

Context example:

the cream of England's young men were killed in the Great War

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

elite; elite group (a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status)

Derivation:

pick (select carefully from a group)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

filling; pick; weft; woof

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

thread; yarn (a fine cord of twisted fibers (of cotton or silk or wool or nylon etc.) used in sewing and weaving)

Holonyms ("pick" is a part of...):

weave (pattern of weaving or structure of a fabric)

Holonyms ("pick" is a substance of...):

cloth; fabric; material; textile (artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

pick; plectron; plectrum

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

guitar pick (a plectrum used to pluck a guitar)

Derivation:

pick (pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted material

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

he used a pick to clean the dirt out of the cracks

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

hand tool (a tool used with workers' hands)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

ice pick; icepick (pick consisting of a steel rod with a sharp point; used for breaking up blocks of ice)

toothpick (pick consisting of a small strip of wood or plastic; used to pick food from between the teeth)

Derivation:

pick (remove in small bits)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A heavy iron tool with a wooden handle and a curved head that is pointed on both ends

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

pick; pickax; pickaxe

Context example:

they used picks and sledges to break the rocks

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

edge tool (any cutting tool with a sharp cutting edge (as a chisel or knife or plane or gouge))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

mattock (a kind of pick that is used for digging; has a flat blade set at right angles to the handle)

Derivation:

pick (attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A basketball maneuver; obstructing an opponent with one's body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he was called for setting an illegal pick

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

basketball play (a play executed by a basketball team)

Sense 9

Meaning:

The act of choosing or selecting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

choice; option; pick; selection

Context example:

you can take your pick

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

action (something done (usually as opposed to something said))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

coloration; colouration (choice and use of colors (as by an artist))

sampling ((statistics) the selection of a suitable sample for study)

conclusion; decision; determination (the act of making up your mind about something)

volition; willing (the act of making a choice)

election (the act of selecting someone or something; the exercise of deliberate choice)

ballot; balloting; vote; voting (a choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative)

casting (the choice of actors to play particular roles in a play or movie)

Derivation:

pick (select carefully from a group)

• PICK (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Select carefully from a group

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

He picked his way carefully

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pick"):

hand-pick (pick personally and very carefully)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

pick (the best people or things in a group)

picker (a person who chooses or selects out)

pick (the person or thing chosen or selected)

pick (the act of choosing or selecting)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Look for and gather

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cull; pick; pluck

Context example:

pick flowers

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

collect; garner; gather; pull together (assemble or get together)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pick"):

mushroom (pick or gather mushrooms)

berry (pick or gather berries)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Also:

pick off (pull or pull out sharply)

pick over (separate or remove)

pick up (get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally)

pick up (give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift)

pick up (register (perceptual input))

pick up (perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily)

Derivation:

pick (the quantity of a crop that is harvested)

picking (the act of picking (crops or fruit or hops etc.))

picker (someone who gathers crops or fruits etc.)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Harass with constant criticism

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

blame; find fault; pick

Context example:

Don't always pick on your little brother

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Provoke

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

pick a fight or a quarrel

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

call forth; evoke; kick up; provoke (evoke or provoke to appear or occur)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Remove in small bits

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

pick meat from a bone

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

pick (a thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted material)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

clean; pick

Context example:

Clean the turkey

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Pilfer or rob

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

pick pockets

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

rob (take something away by force or without the consent of the owner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

pickings (the act of someone who picks up or takes something)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Pay for something

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

foot; pick

Context example:

foot the bill

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

pay (give money, usually in exchange for goods or services)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 9

Meaning:

Pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pick; pluck; plunk

Context example:

he plucked the strings of his mandolin

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pick"):

twang (pluck (strings of an instrument))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

pick (a small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break up; pick

Context example:

Pick open the ice

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

pierce (cut or make a way through)

"Pick" entails doing...:

chop; hack (cut with a hacking tool)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

pick (a heavy iron tool with a wooden handle and a curved head that is pointed on both ends)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Hit lightly with a picking motion

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

beak; peck; pick

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 12

Meaning:

Eat intermittently; take small bites of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

nibble; pick; piece

Context example:

She never eats a full meal--she just nibbles

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

eat (take in solid food)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

On 19 October 2017, the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawai`i picked up a faint point of light moving across the sky.

(ESO Observations Show First Interstellar Asteroid is Like Nothing Seen Before, ESO)

Regardless of which country they came from, mothers were likely to pick up and hold or talk to their crying infant.

(Study identifies brain patterns underlying mothers’ responses to infant cries, National Institutes of Health)

Usually, dips of 1% and more can be picked up by ground-based searches, but the NGTS telescopes can pick up a dip of just 0.2%.

(‘Forbidden’ planet found wandering ‘Neptunian Desert’, University of Cambridge)

Kepler measurements of starlight infer the spin rate of a star by picking up small changes in its brightness.

(Kepler Watches Stellar Dancers in the Pleiades Cluster, NASA)

“Drop that pistol! Watson, pick it up! Hold it to his head. Thank you. You, Carruthers, give me that revolver. We’ll have no more violence. Come, hand it over!”

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

While OVIRS maps the asteroid in the visible and near infrared, OTES picks up in the thermal infrared.

(NASA to Map the Surface of an Asteroid, NASA)

"I'll do it," he said, picking up his books and starting away.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The general tone of the team picked up immediately.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

The hydrophone also picked up sound from ship propellers.

(Seven miles deep, the ocean is still a noisy place, NOAA)

“Better pick up Mr. Melas on our way,” I suggested.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)