pick up
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pick 1
(pĭk)v. picked, pick·ing, picks
v.tr.
1. To select from a group: The best swimmer was picked.
2.
a. To gather in; harvest: They were picking cotton.
b. To gather the harvest from: picked the field in one day.
3.
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.
4. To remove extraneous matter from (the teeth, for example).
5. To poke and pull at (something) with the fingers.
6. To break up, separate, or detach by means of a sharp pointed instrument.
7. To pierce or make (a hole) with a sharp pointed instrument.
8. To take up (food) with the beak; peck: The parrot picked its seed.
9. To steal the contents of: My pocket was picked.
10. To open (a lock) without the use of a key.
11. To provoke: pick a fight.
12. 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.
v.intr.
1. To decide with care or forethought.
2. To work with a pick.
3. To find fault or make petty criticisms; carp: He's always picking about something.
4. To be harvested or gathered: The ripe apples picked easily.
n.
Phrasal Verbs: 1. The act of picking, especially with a sharp pointed instrument.
2. The act of selecting or choosing; choice: got first pick of the desserts.
3. Something selected as the most desirable; the best or choicest part: the pick of the crop.
4. The amount or quantity of a crop that is picked by hand.
5. Sports An interception of a pass.
6. Basketball A screen.
pick apart
To refute or find flaws in by close examination: The lawyer picked the testimony apart.
pick at
1. To pluck or pull at, especially with the fingers.
2. To eat sparingly or without appetite: The child just picked at the food.
3. Informal To nag: Don't pick at me.
pick off
1. To shoot after singling out: The hunter picked the ducks off one by one.
2. Baseball To put out (a base runner standing off base) by making a quick throw to a fielder. Used especially of a pitcher or catcher.
3. Sports To intercept (a pass), as in football.
pick on
To tease or bully.
pick out
1. To choose or select: picked out a nice watch.
2. 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
Idioms: 1. To take up (something) with a hand or other body part or with an instrument: Could you pick up that book? The dog picked up the bone in its mouth.
2. To collect or gather: picked up some pebbles.
3. To tidy up; clean: picked up the bedroom.
4. To take on (passengers or freight, for example): The bus picks up commuters at five stops.
5. 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.
6. Informal To take into custody: The agents picked up six smugglers.
7. Slang To make casual acquaintance with, usually in anticipation of sexual relations.
8.
a. To come upon and follow: The dog picked up the scent.
b. To come upon and observe: picked up two submarines on sonar.
c. To receive, detect, or register: Did the microphone pick up that sound?
9. To continue after a break: Let's pick up the discussion after lunch.
10. Informal To improve in condition or activity: Sales picked up last fall.
11. Informal
a. To prepare a sudden departure: She just picked up and left.
b. In golf, to grab one's ball from the ground while it is in play, indicating that one has given up.
pick and choose
To select with great care.
pick holes in
To seek and discover flaws or a flaw in: picked holes in the argument.
pick nits
To find fault in a petty way; nitpick.
pick (one's) way
To find passage and make careful progress through it: picked her way down the slope.
pick (someone) to pieces
To criticize sharply.
pick up on Informal
1. To take into the mind and understand, typically with speed: is quick to pick up on new computer skills.
2. To notice: picked up on my roommate's bad mood and left him alone.
[Middle English piken, to prick, from Old English *pīcian, to prick, and from Old French piquer, to pierce (from Vulgar Latin *piccāre; see pique).]
pick′er n.
pick 2
(pĭk)n.
1. A tool for breaking hard surfaces, consisting of a curved bar sharpened at both ends and fitted to a long handle.
2.
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.
3. Music A plectrum.
[Middle English pik, variant of pike, sharp point; see pike5.]
pick 3
(pĭk)n.
1. A weft thread in weaving.
2. A passage or throw of the shuttle in a loom.
tr.v. picked, pick·ing, picks
To throw (a shuttle) across a loom.
[Dialectal, from pick, to pitch, thrust, variant of pitch.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | pick up - take and lift upward |
| 2. | pick up - take up by hand; "He picked up the book and started to read" touch - make physical contact with, come in contact with; "Touch the stone for good luck"; "She never touched her husband" | |
| 3. | pick up - give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift; "We picked up a hitchhiker on the highway" transport - move something or somebody around; usually over long distances | |
| 4. | pick up - gather or collect; "You can get the results on Monday"; "She picked up the children at the day care center"; "They pick up our trash twice a week" | |
| 5. | pick up - get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally; "I learned that she has two grown-up children"; "I see that you have been promoted" get the goods - discover some bad or hidden information about; "She got the goods on her co-worker after reading his e-mail" wise up - get wise to; "They wised up to it" ascertain - learn or discover with certainty | |
| 6. | pick up - get in addition, as an increase; "The candidate picked up thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home" | |
| 7. |  pick up - take into custody; "the police nabbed the suspected criminals" | |
| 8. | pick up - buy casually or spontaneously; "I picked up some food for a snack" commerce, commercialism, mercantilism - transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services) | |
| 9. | pick up - register (perceptual input); "pick up a signal" perceive, comprehend - to become aware of through the senses; "I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon" hear - receive a communication from someone; "We heard nothing from our son for five years" | |
| 10. | pick up - lift out or reflect from a background; "The scarf picks up the color of the skirt"; "His eyes picked up his smile" | |
| 11. | pick up - meet someone for sexual purposes; "he always tries to pick up girls in bars" get together, meet - get together socially or for a specific purpose | |
| 12. |  pick up - fill with high spirits; fill with optimism; "Music can uplift your spirits"stimulate, stir, shake up, excite, shake - stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of; "These stories shook the community"; "the civil war shook the country" beatify - make blessedly happy puff - make proud or conceited; "The sudden fame puffed her ego" beatify, exhilarate, inebriate, tickle pink, exalt, thrill - fill with sublime emotion; "The children were thrilled at the prospect of going to the movies"; "He was inebriated by his phenomenal success" | |
| 13. | pick up - improve significantly; go from bad to good; "Her performance in school picked up" | |
| 14. | pick up - perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily; "I caught the aroma of coffee"; "He caught the allusion in her glance"; "ears open to catch every sound"; "The dog picked up the scent"; "Catch a glimpse" perceive, comprehend - to become aware of through the senses; "I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon" | |
| 15. | pick up - eat by pecking at, like a bird eat - take in solid food; "She was eating a banana"; "What did you eat for dinner last night?" | |
| 16. | pick up - gain or regain energy; "I picked up after a nap" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
pick
verb1. To make a choice from a number of alternatives.Also used with out:
pick offphrasal verb
pick onphrasal verb
pick out
To perceive and fix the identity of, especially with difficulty:
pick up
1. To move (something) to a higher position:
3. Informal. To come into possession of:
Informal: land.
5. Informal. To take into custody as a prisoner:
Informal: nab.
1. The superlative or most preferable part of something:
Idioms: cream of the crop, flower of the flock, pick of the bunch.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يأخُذُ مَعَه فُلانا بالسَّيّارهيَتَلَقّى، يَلْتَقِط إشارات راديويَجْلِب، يَذْهَب ليجيء بِيَحْصَل بالصُّدْفَهيَلْتَقِط
chytitnajítnaložitobjevitpadnout na
fangefindegøre en god handelhentekomme på benene
iskeäjatkaakasvaamaksaanostaa
podignuti
felállfelcsípgyorsan elsajátítkifognyomára bukkan
finna, handsamalæranánæla sér írísa á fætur
持ち上げる
집어 올리다
natrafiť napochytiťvyzdvihnúť si
plocka upp
ยกขึ้น
nâng lên
w>pick up
vt sep
(= take up) → aufheben; (= lift momentarily) → hochheben; stitch → aufnehmen; to pick up a child in one’s arms → ein Kind auf den Arm nehmen; pick up your feet when you walk! → heb deine Füße (beim Gehen)!; to pick oneself up → aufstehen; as soon as he picks up a book → sobald er ein Buch in die Hand nimmt; it’s the sort of book you can pick up when you have a free minute → das ist so ein Buch, das man mal zwischendurch lesen kann; to pick up the phone → (den Hörer) abnehmen; you just have to pick up the phone → du brauchst nur anzurufen; to pick up the bill (= pay) → die Rechnung bezahlen; to pick up a story → mit einer Geschichte fortfahren; to pick up the pieces (lit, fig) → die Scherben aufsammeln or zusammensuchen; to pick up the thread of a lecture → den Faden (eines Vortrags) wiederfinden; to pick up the threads of one’s life → die Scherben seines Lebens wieder zusammenkitten; the interviewer picked up this reference and … → der Interviewer nahm diese Bemerkung auf or knüpfte an diese Bemerkung an und …
(= get) → holen; (= buy) → bekommen; (= acquire) habit → sich (dat) → angewöhnen; news, gossip → aufschnappen; illness → sich (dat) → holen or zuziehen; (= earn) → verdienen; medal → bekommen, erhalten; to pick something up at a sale → etw im Ausverkauf erwischen; to pick up speed → schneller werden; you never know what you’ll pick up (= what illness etc) → man weiß nie, was man sich (dat) → da holen or zuziehen kann; he picked up a few extra points → er hat ein paar Extrapunkte gemacht; he picked up a reputation as a womanizer → er geriet in den Ruf eines Frauenhelden
(= learn) skill etc → sich (dat) → aneignen; language → lernen; accent, word → aufschnappen; information, tips etc → herausbekommen; idea → aufgreifen; you’ll soon pick it up → du wirst das schnell lernen; where did you pick up that idea? → wo hast du denn die Idee her?
(= collect) person, goods → abholen; I’ll come and pick you up → ich hole dich ab, ich komme dich abholen
(= rescue: helicopter, lifeboat) → bergen
(= arrest, catch) wanted man, criminal → schnappen (inf); they picked him up for questioning → sie haben ihn geholt, um ihn zu vernehmen
(inf) girl → aufgabeln (inf); she got picked up at a party → die ist auf einer Party (von einem) abgeschleppt or aufgegabelt worden (inf)
(Rad) station → hereinbekommen, (rein)kriegen (inf); message → empfangen, auffangen; (= see) beacon etc → ausmachen, sichten; (on radar) → ausmachen; (record stylus) sound → aufnehmen; the surface was clearly picked up by the satellite’s cameras → das Bild der Oberfläche wurde von den Satellitenkameras deutlich übermittelt; we picked up a rabbit in the car headlights → wir sahen ein Kaninchen im Scheinwerferlicht
(Brit: = correct, put right) → korrigieren; he picked me up on my bad grammar → er wies auf meine schlechte Grammatik hin; he picked me up for mispronouncing it → er hat meine falsche Aussprache korrigiert
(= restore to health) → wieder auf die Beine stellen
(= spot, identify) mistakes → finden
(US inf: = tidy) room → auf Vordermann bringen (inf)
vi
(= improve) → besser werden; (appetite) → zunehmen; (currency) → sich erholen; (business: after slump) → sich erholen; (engine) → rund laufen; (= accelerate) → schneller werden
(inf) to pick up with somebody (= get to know) → jds Bekanntschaft machen; he has picked up with a rather strange crowd → er hat mit merkwürdigen Leuten Umgang; to pick up on a point → einen Punkt aufgreifen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
pick1
(pik) verb1. to choose or select. Pick the one you like best.
2. to take (flowers from a plant, fruit from a tree etc), usually by hand. The little girl sat on the grass and picked flowers.
3. to lift (someone or something). He picked up the child.
4. to unlock (a lock) with a tool other than a key. When she found that she had lost her key, she picked the lock with a hair-pin.
noun1. whatever or whichever a person wants or chooses. Take your pick of these prizes.
2. the best one(s) from or the best part of something. These grapes are the pick of the bunch.
ˈpickpocket noun a person who steals from people's pockets. He kept his wallet in his hand because he knew there would be pickpockets in the crowd.
ˈpick-up noun1. a type of small lorry or van.
2. the part of a record-player that holds the stylus.
pick and choose to select or choose very carefully. When I'm buying apples, I like to pick and choose (the ones I want).
pick at to eat very little of (something). He was not very hungry, and just picked at the food on his plate.
pick someone's brains to ask (a person) questions in order to get ideas, information etc from him which one can use oneself. You might be able to help me with this problem – can I come and pick your brains for a minute!
pick holes in to criticize or find faults in (an argument, theory etc). He sounded very convincing, but I'm sure one could pick holes in what he said.
pick off to shoot (especially people in a group) one by one. He picked off the enemy soldiers.
pick on1. to choose (someone) to do a usually difficult or unpleasant job. Why do they always pick on me to do the washing-up?
2. to speak to or treat (a person) angrily or critically. Don't pick on me – it wasn't my fault.
pick out1. to choose or select. She picked out one dress that she particularly liked.
2. to see or recognize (a person, thing etc). He must be among those people getting off the train, but I can't pick him out.
3. to play (a piece of music), especially slowly and with difficulty, especially by ear, without music in front of one. I don't really play the piano, but I can pick out a tune on one with one finger.
pick someone's pocket to steal something from a person's pocket. My wallet has gone – someone has picked my pocket!
pick a quarrel/fight with (someone) to start a quarrel, argument or fight with (someone) on purpose. He was angry because I beat him in the race, and he tried to pick a fight with me afterwards.
pick up1. to learn gradually, without formal teaching. I never studied Italian – I just picked it up when I was in Italy.
2. to let (someone) into a car, train etc in order to take him somewhere. I picked him up at the station and drove him home.
3. to get (something) by chance. I picked up a bargain at the shops today.
4. to right (oneself) after a fall etc; to stand up. He fell over and picked himself up again.
5. to collect (something) from somewhere. I ordered some meat from the butcher – I'll pick it up on my way home tonight.
6. (of radio, radar etc) to receive signals. We picked up a foreign broadcast last night.
7. to find; to catch. We lost his trail but picked it up again later; The police picked up the criminal.
pick up speed to go faster; to accelerate. The car picked up speed as it ran down the hill.
pick one's way to walk carefully (around or between something one wishes to avoid touching etc). She picked her way between the puddles.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
pick up
→ يَلْتَقِط zvednout samle op aufheben σηκώνω recoger nostaa ylös relever podignuti raccogliere 持ち上げる 집어 올리다 oppakken plukke opp podnieść apanhar поднимать plocka upp ยกขึ้น yerden almak nâng lên 捡起Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009