Pick v. t. (past & past part. picked; pres. part. picking) 1.To throw; to pitch. (Obs.) "As high as I could pick my lance."
2.To peck at, as a bird with its beak; to strike at with anything pointed; to act upon with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to prick, as with a pin.
3.To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points; as, to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc.
4.To open (a lock) as by a wire.
5.To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc.
6.To remove something from with a pointed instrument, with the fingers, or with the teeth; as, to pick the teeth; to pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket. "Did you pick Master Slender's purse?" "He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems With an old tavern quill, is hungry yet."
7.To choose; to select; to separate as choice or desirable; to cull; as, to pick one's company; to pick one's way; often with out. "One man picked out of ten thousand."
8.To take up; esp., to gather from here and there; to collect; to bring together; as, to pick rags; often with up; as, to pick up a ball or stones; to pick up information.
To pick at, to tease or vex by pertinacious annoyance.
To pick a bone with. See under Bone. To pick a thank, to curry favor. (Obs.)
To pick off. (a)To pluck; to remove by picking.
(b)To shoot or bring down, one by one; as, sharpshooters pick off the enemy.
To pick out. (a)To mark out; to variegate; as, to pick out any dark stuff with lines or spots of bright colors.
(b)To select from a number or quantity.
To pick to pieces, to pull apart piece by piece; hence (Colloq.), to analyze; esp., to criticize in detail.
To pick a quarrel, to give occasion of quarrel intentionally.
To pick up. (a)To take up, as with the fingers.
(b)To get by repeated efforts; to gather here and there; as, to pick up a livelihood; to pick up news.
Pick v. i. 1.To eat slowly, sparingly, or by morsels; to nibble. "Why stand'st thou picking? Is thy palate sore?"
2.To do anything nicely or carefully, or by attending to small things; to select something with care.
3.To steal; to pilfer. "To keep my hands from picking and stealing."
To pick up, to improve by degrees; as, he is picking up in health or business. (Colloq. U.S.)
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