pick up

pick up

verb

Definition of PICK UP

1

to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in <he has a knack for picking up a language in a few weeks>

Synonyms get, master, pick up

Related Words apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, understand; absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in), imbibe; ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig up, discern, discover, examine, find out, hear, hit (on or upon), run down, scare up, search (for), see, track (down), tumble (to), unearth; major (in), study; memorize

Near Antonyms forget; misunderstand; miss, overlook; disregard, ignore, neglect

Antonyms unlearn

2

to bring together in one body or place <pick up all of your things because we have to be off this beach before dark>

Synonyms accumulate, amass, assemble, bulk (up), collect, concentrate, congregate, constellate, corral, garner, group, lump, pick up, round up

Related Words ball, batch, bunch, cluster, huddle; heap, pile, stack; band, brigade, muster, raise, rally; flock, herd, hive, pack, press, swarm, throng; combine, connect, join, link, merge, pool, unite; archive, arrange, collate, compile, organize, systematize; scrape (up or together); re-collect, regather, regroup

Near Antonyms break up, disband, disintegrate, dissolve, separate, sever, split (up); dismiss, send

Antonyms dispel, disperse, dissipate, scatter

3

to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for <could you pick up some milk at the store?>

Synonyms cop [slang], pick up, purchase, take

Related Words acquire, gain, garner, get, obtain, procure, secure, win; finance, pay (for), spring (for); barter (for), deal (for), dicker (over), exchange (for), haggle (for), negotiate (about), trade (for); bargain (with), chaffer (with), horse-trade (with), palter (with); bid, offer; rebuy, repurchase

Near Antonyms deal (in), market, merchandise (also merchandize), retail, sell, vend

4

to gradually increase in <the boat was just picking up speed when it was rammed by another boat>

Synonyms build up, gather, grow (in), pick up

Related Words double (in), triple (in); accrue, accumulate, amass; excite, stimulate; enhance, enlarge, enrich, expand, extend, maximize; boost, elevate, jack (up), mount, ramp (up), step up

Near Antonyms abate, decline (in), diminish (in), dip, dwindle, fall (in), lessen, taper, taper off

Antonyms decrease (in), lose

5

to move from a lower to a higher place or position <pick up your feet while I vacuum in front of the sofa>

Synonyms boost, crane, elevate, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, take up, up, uphold, uplift, upraise

Related Words ascend, mount, rise; rear, upend

Near Antonyms descend, dip, fall, pitch, plunge, slip; bear, depress, press, push; sink, submerge

Antonyms drop, lower

6

to take or keep under one's control by authority of law <police picked up the fugitive when she went out to buy food>

Synonyms apprehend, bust [slang], collar, nab, nail, nick [British slang], pick up, pinch, pull in, restrain, run in, seize

Related Words bag, capture, catch, get, grab, grapple, hook, land, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap; commit, confine, detain, hold, immure, imprison, incarcerate, intern, jail, jug, lock (up); bind, enchain, fetter, handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel; rearrest; remand

Near Antonyms emancipate, free, liberate, loose, loosen, release, spring; unbind, unchain

Antonyms discharge

7

to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff <I thought you said you had picked up, so why are these things still lying around the rec room?>

Synonyms pick up, tidy (up)

Related Words houseclean, housekeep; clean (off), clean (up), neaten, police (up), straighten (up), turn out, unclutter; arrange, order

Near Antonyms clutter, disarrange, mess (up)

8

to begin again or return to after an interruption <after the protestors were removed from the auditorium, the speaker picked up his lecture right where he had left off>

Synonyms continue, pick up, proceed (with), renew, reopen, restart

Related Words resuscitate, revive; recrudesce

Near Antonyms complete, conclude, consummate, end, finalize, finish; belay, break, can [slang], cease, check, cut, desist, discontinue, drop, halt, knock off, leave off, quit, scuttle, shut off, stay, stop, terminate

9

to make neat <the boy's bedroom looked like it hadn't been picked up in quite a while>

Synonyms pick up, redd (up or out) [chiefly dialect], spruce (up), straighten (up or out), tidy (up), trim

Related Words arrange, array, classify, codify, dispose, draw up, marshal (also marshall), order, organize, range, systematize

Near Antonyms disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, muss, rumple, scramble, shuffle, tousle, tumble, upset