pick¹ / pik/ • v. 1. [tr.] take hold of and remove (a flower, fruit, or vegetable) from where it is growing: I went to pick some flowers for Jenny's room | [as adj.] (picked) freshly picked mushrooms. ∎  [tr.] take hold of and lift or move: he picked a match out of the box picking her up, he carried her into the next room. ∎  [intr.] (pick up) Golf lift up one's ball, esp. when conceding a hole.2. [tr.] choose (someone or something) from a number of alternatives, typically after careful thought: maybe I picked the wrong career after all she left Jed to pick out some toys [intr.] this time, I get to pick. ∎  (pick one's way) walk slowly and carefully, selecting the best or safest places to put one's feet: he picked his way along the edge of the track, avoiding the potholes.3. [intr.] repeatedly pull at something with one's fingers: the old woman was picking at the sheet. ∎  [tr.] make (a hole) in fabric by doing this. ∎  eat food or a meal in small amounts or without much appetite: she picked at her breakfast. ∎  criticize someone in a niggling way: now, please don't start picking at Ruth. ∎  [tr.] remove unwanted matter from (one's nose or teeth) by using one's finger or a pointed instrument. ∎  [tr.] pluck the strings of (a guitar or banjo). ∎  [tr.] (pick something out) play a tune on such an instrument slowly or with difficulty: she began to pick out a rough melody on the guitar.• n. 1. [in sing.] an act or the right of selecting something from among a group of alternatives: take your pick from our extensive menu Laura should have first pick. ∎  (the pick of) inf. the person or thing perceived as the best in a particular group: he was the pick of the bunch. ∎  someone or something that has been selected: the club made him their first pick.2. Basketball an act of blocking or screening a defensive player from the ball handler, allowing an open shot.PHRASES: pick and choose select only the best or most desirable from among a number of alternatives.pick someone's brains (or brain) inf. obtain information by questioning someone who is better informed about a subject than oneself.pick something clean completely remove the flesh from a bone or carcass.pick one's feet up raise one's feet clear of the ground when walking.pick a fight (or quarrel) talk or behave in such a way as to provoke an argument or fight.pick holes in find fault with.pick a lock open a lock with an instrument other than the proper key.pick someone's pockets steal something surreptitiously from another person's pocket.pick someone/something to pieces (or apart) criticize someone or something severely and in detail.pick up the pieces restore one's life or a situation to a more normal state, typically after a shock or disaster.pick up speed (or steam) (of a vehicle) go faster; accelerate.pick up the threads resume something that has been interrupted.PHRASAL VERBS: pick someone/something off shoot a member of a group of people or things, aiming carefully from a distance. ∎ Baseball put out a runner by a pickoff.pick on repeatedly single (someone) out for blame, criticism, or unkind treatment in a way perceived to be unfair.pick someone/something out distinguish someone or something among a group of people or things: Lester picked out two familiar voices. ∎  (of a light) illuminate an object by shining directly on it. ∎  (usu. be picked out) distinguish shapes or letters from their surroundings by painting or fashioning them in a contrasting color or medium: the initials are picked out in diamonds.pick something over (or pick through) examine or sort through a number of items carefully: they picked through the charred remains of their home.pick up become better; improve: my luck's picked up. ∎  become stronger; increase: the wind has picked up.pick oneself up stand up again after a fall.pick someone up go somewhere to collect someone, typically in one's car and according to a prior arrangement. ∎  stop for someone and take them into one's vehicle or vessel. ∎ inf. arrest someone. ∎ inf. casually strike up a relationship with someone one has never met before, as a sexual overture. pick something up1. collect something that has been left elsewhere: Wanda came over to pick up her things. ∎ inf. pay the bill for something, esp. when others have contributed to the expense: as usual, we had to pick up the tab. ∎  tidy a room or building.2. obtain, acquire, or learn something, esp. without formal arrangements or instruction: he had picked up a little Russian from his father. ∎  catch an illness or infection.3. detect or receive a signal or sound, esp. by means of electronic apparatus. ∎  (also pick up on) become aware of or sensitive to something: she is very quick to pick up emotional atmospheres. ∎  find and take a particular road or route.4. (also pick up) resume something: they picked up their friendship without the slightest difficulty. ∎  (also pick up on) refer to or develop a point or topic mentioned earlier: Dawson picked up her earlier remark. ∎  (of an object or color) attractively accentuate the color of something else by being of a similar shade.pick up after tidy up things left strewn around by (someone).DERIVATIVES: pick·a·ble / ˈpikəbəl/ adj.pick² • n. 1. a tool consisting of a long handle set at right angles in the middle of a curved iron or steel bar with a point at one end and a chisel edge or point at the other, used for breaking up hard ground or rock. ∎ short for ice pick.2. an instrument for picking: an ebony hair pick. ∎ inf. a plectrum: a pink guitar pick. ∎ short for toothpick.

pick To select one feature from among others, e.g. first arrivals on a seismic refraction record or reflection events in a seismic section. The feature so selected becomes a ‘pick’. For example, on a seismic refraction record the selected first arrivals are the picks for each trace, providing travel-time data for the compilation of a travel-time graph.

pick2 probe with a pointed instrument, etc.; pluck, gather; choose out; rob, plunder. XV. Succeeded to pike XIV (surviving dial.), prob. through the infl. of F. piquer or MLG., MDu. picken (Du. pikken), in the senses ‘pick’, ‘peck’, ‘pierce’, ‘puncture’.

Pick An IBM operating system named after its original developer. The system has an integrated database system, and is intended for database applications on workstations and small systems. Pick is designed to be portable between different hardware platforms, and has also been implemented as a subsystem under other operating systems.

pick A type of input to a graphics system that identifies a graphical output primitive or set of primitives that have been indicated by the operator. See also logical input device.