pick

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈpik 

picked; picking; picks

transitive verb

1

: to pierce, penetrate, or break up with a pointed instrument

picked the hard clay

2

a

: to remove bit by bit

pick meat from bones

b

: to remove covering or adhering matter from

pick the bones

3

a

: to gather by plucking

pick apples

b

: choose, select

tried to pick the shortest route

c

: to make (one's way) slowly and carefully

picked his way through the rubble

4

a

: pilfer, rob

pick pockets

b

: to obtain useful information from by questioning

—used in such phrases as pick the brains of

5

: provoke

pick a quarrel

6

a

: to dig into : probe

picking his teeth

b

: to pluck (a stringed instrument, such as a guitar) with a pick or with the fingers

c

: to loosen or pull apart with a sharp point

pick wool

7

: to unlock with a device (such as a wire) other than the key

pick a lock

intransitive verb

1

: to use or work with a pick

2

: to gather or harvest something by plucking

3

: pilfer

—used in the phrase picking and stealing

4

: to eat sparingly or mincingly

picking listlessly at his dinner

pick

2 of 5

noun (1)

1

: a blow or stroke with a pointed instrument

2

a

: the act or privilege of choosing or selecting : choice

take your pick

b

: the best or choicest one

the pick of the herd

c

: one that is picked

his pick for vice president

3

: the portion of a crop gathered at one time

the first pick of peaches

4

: a screen in basketball

5

football : an intercepted forward pass : interception

… McNabb had his worst game of the year. He threw two picks, fumbled twice, got sacked seven times.

—Paul Zimmerman

pick

3 of 5

noun (2)

1

: a heavy, usually long-handled iron or steel tool pointed at one or both ends compare mattock

2

a

: toothpick

b

: picklock

c

: a small thin piece (as of plastic or metal) used to pluck the strings of a stringed instrument

3

: one of the points on the forepart of the blade of a skate used in figure skating

4

: a comb with long widely spaced teeth used to give height to a hairstyle

Illustration of pick

• pick 2c

pick

4 of 5

verb (2)

picked; picking; picks

transitive verb

1

chiefly dialectal : to throw or thrust with effort : hurl

2

: to throw (a shuttle) across the loom

pick

5 of 5

noun (3)

1

dialectal, England

a

: the act of pitching or throwing

b

: something thrown

2

a

: a throw of the shuttle

b

: a filling thread

Phrases

pick and choose

: to select with care and deliberation

pick at

: to criticize repeatedly especially for minor faults : nag

pick on

: to single out for criticism, teasing, or bullying

picked on smaller boys

also : to single out for a particular purpose or for special attention

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• gather
• harvest
• reap

Noun (1)

• bet
• choice
• chosen
• selection

Examples of pick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Even some adults struggle with the taste of fish oil supplements, so our top picks are full of fish oil supplements in fun kids' flavors that are sure to please. —Isabel Vasquez, Rd, Ldn, Parents, 4 Apr. 2024

The Bills will receive a 2025 second-round pick (via the Minnesota Vikings) in exchange for Diggs, a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. —Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 3 Apr. 2024

Buffalo receives a 2025 second-round draft pick in exchange for Diggs, while the 30-year-old heads to Texas along with a 2024 sixth-round pick (No. 189 overall) and a 2025 fifth-round pick. —Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024

Keep reading for our picks for the best Women’s Final Four merch available at Nike and Fanatics. —Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024

Keep scrolling to browse my favorite picks, starting at $10. —Megan Schaltegger, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2024

Our picks include casual work styles, outdoor pants, and athleisure for all travel occasions. —ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024

Forget Apple and Tesla, maybe the ‘Magnificent Seven’ tech stocks should be the ‘Fabulous Five’ AM: Apple in the past was an easy pick for buyers of stocks. —Andy Mills, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024

Ticket prices to watch the Indiana Fever – the team eyeing Clark for its No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft – have more than doubled. —Alex Leeds Matthews and Ben Morse, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024

Verb

More than 2,000 Amazon shoppers picked it up on sale this month, but only Prime members can snag it for a whopping 56 percent off right now. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024

Photo : Hublot/Getty Ludacris: Hublot King Power Unico Ludacris knows how to pick the right watch for the occasion. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2024

The letter writer’s deceased husband may simply have regarded it as a war souvenir inherited from his father, who perhaps picked it up on a battlefield. —Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024

Best books of 2023: See our picks for the 10 best books of 2023 or dive into the staff picks that Book World writers and editors treasured in 2023. —Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

In 2018, General Sisi, in Egypt, picked an opponent who actually endorsed him. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024

The farm will open strawberry picking in late April and anticipated the season lasting through the end of May. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024

Do not crouch down in front of an alligator because alligators pick their prey based on size. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024

The Chiefs have pick No. 252 overall in the seventh round. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English piken, partly from Old English *pīcian (akin to Middle Dutch picken to prick); partly from Middle French piquer to prick — more at pike

Noun (2)

Middle English pik

Verb (2)

Middle English pykken to pitch (a tent); akin to Middle English picchen to pitch

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing pick

• choose/pick sides
• cherry-pick
• bone to pick
• number one pick
• ear pick
• pick a fight
• pick a lock
• pick and choose
• pick-and-shovel
• pick-and-roll
• pick-and-mix
• pick apart
• pick a quarrel
• pick/choose your poison
• pick-me-up
• pick off
• pick oneself up
• pick one's way
• pick over
• pick out
• pick someone's brain/brains
• pick (someone or something) to pieces/shreds
• pick-six
• pick someone's pocket
• pick (something) clean
• pick/step up the pace
• pick/take up the cudgels for
• pick up
• pick/take up the gauntlet
• pick up after (someone)
• pick/take up the slack
• pick up and leave/go
• pick up steam
• pick up the pace
• pick up the pieces
• pick up speed/momentum
• pick up the tab/bill/check
• pick up the tab
• pick up the threads
• the pick of the bunch
• the pick of the litter
• take one's pick
• first pick
• ice pick
• water pick
• pick nits
• pick at
• pick on
• pick up on
• pick the brains of

Kids Definition

pick

1 of 3 verb

ˈpik 

1

: to strike, pierce, or break up with a pointed tool

2

a

: to remove matter from bit by bit by or as if by plucking

picked the bone clean

b

: to gather by plucking

pick berries

c

: to pluck with a pick or with the fingers

pick a guitar

3

a

: select entry 1, choose

pick out a dress

b

: to make (one's way) slowly and carefully

picked their way through the rubble

4

: to steal or pilfer from

pick pockets

5

: to start (a fight) with someone else deliberately

6

: to dig at or into : probe

picking his teeth

7

: to eat sparingly or in a finicky manner

picked at her dinner

8

: to unlock without a key

pick a lock

picker noun

pick

2 of 3 noun

1

: a blow or stroke with a pointed instrument

2

a

: the act or opportunity of choosing : choice

take your pick

b

: the best or choicest one or portion

took only the pick of the crop

c

: one that is picked

his pick for vice president

pick

3 of 3 noun

1

: a heavy tool with a wooden handle and a blade pointed at one or both ends used especially to loosen or break up soil or rock

2

: a slender pointed instrument

ice pick

3

: a small thin piece of metal or plastic used to pluck a stringed instrument

4

: a comb with long widely spaced teeth used in grooming hair

Etymology

Verb

Middle English piken "to pierce, pick," from Old English pīcian (same meaning) and from early French piquer "to prick" — related to pike entry 3

Noun

Middle English pik "a pick for digging"