PICK

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pick mean? 

• PICK (noun)
  The noun PICK has 9 senses:

1. the person or thing chosen or selected
2. the quantity of a crop that is harvested
3. the best people or things in a group
4. the yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving
5. a small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument
6. a thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted material
7. a heavy iron tool with a wooden handle and a curved head that is pointed on both ends
8. a basketball maneuver; obstructing an opponent with one's body
9. the act of choosing or selecting

  Familiarity information: PICK used as a noun is familiar.

• PICK (verb)
  The verb PICK has 12 senses:

1. select carefully from a group
2. look for and gather
3. harass with constant criticism
4. provoke
5. remove in small bits
6. remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits
7. pilfer or rob
8. pay for something
9. pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion
10. attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example
11. hit lightly with a picking motion
12. eat intermittently; take small bites of

  Familiarity information: PICK used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PICK (noun)

Sense 1

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The person or thing chosen or selected

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

choice; pick; selection

Context example:

he was my pick for mayor

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

deciding; decision making (the cognitive process of reaching a decision)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

pleasure (a formal expression)

favorite; favourite (something regarded with special favor or liking)

way (doing as one pleases or chooses)

Sense 2

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The quantity of a crop that is harvested

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

picking; pick

Context examples:

he sent the first picking of berries to the market / it was the biggest peach pick in years

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

output; production; yield (the quantity of something (as a commodity) that is created (usually within a given period of time))

Sense 3

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The best people or things in a group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

cream; pick

Context example:

the cream of England's young men were killed in the Great War

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

elite; elite group (a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status)

Sense 4

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

woof; weft; pick; filling

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

thread; yarn (a fine cord of twisted fibers (of cotton or silk or wool or nylon etc.) used in sewing and weaving)

Holonyms ("pick" is a part of...):

weave (pattern of weaving or structure of a fabric)

Holonyms ("pick" is a substance of...):

cloth; fabric; material; textile (artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers)

Sense 5

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

plectron; plectrum; pick

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

guitar pick (a plectrum used to pluck a guitar)

Sense 6

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted material

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

he used a pick to clean the dirt out of the cracks

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

hand tool (a tool used with workers' hands)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

ice pick; icepick (pick consisting of a steel rod with a sharp point; used for breaking up blocks of ice)

toothpick (pick consisting of a small strip of wood or plastic; used to pick food from between the teeth)

Sense 7

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A heavy iron tool with a wooden handle and a curved head that is pointed on both ends

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

pickaxe; pickax; pick

Context example:

they used picks and sledges to break the rocks

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

edge tool (any cutting tool with a sharp cutting edge (as a chisel or knife or plane or gouge))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

mattock (a kind of pick that is used for digging; has a flat blade set at right angles to the handle)

Sense 8

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A basketball maneuver; obstructing an opponent with one's body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he was called for setting an illegal pick

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

basketball play (a play executed by a basketball team)

Sense 9

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The act of choosing or selecting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

selection; choice; option; pick

Context examples:

your choice of colors was unfortunate / you can take your pick

Hypernyms ("pick" is a kind of...):

action (something done (usually as opposed to something said))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pick"):

casting (the choice of actors to play particular roles in a play or movie)

ballot; balloting; vote; voting (a choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative)

election (the act of selecting someone or something; the exercise of deliberate choice)

volition; willing (the act of making a choice)

conclusion; decision; determination (the act of making up your mind about something)

sampling ((statistics) the selection of a suitable sample for study)

coloration; colouration (choice and use of colors (as by an artist))

• PICK (verb)

Sense 1

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Select carefully from a group

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context examples:

She finally picked her successor / He picked his way carefully

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pick"):

hand-pick (pick personally and very carefully)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Look for and gather

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pick; cull; pluck

Context examples:

pick mushrooms / pick flowers

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

collect; garner; gather; pull together (assemble or get together)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pick"):

mushroom (pick or gather mushrooms)

berry (pick or gather berries)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Also:

pick off (pull or pull out sharply)

pick over (separate or remove)

pick up (get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally)

pick up (give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift)

pick up (register (perceptual input))

pick up (perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily)

Sense 3

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Harass with constant criticism

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

find fault; blame; pick

Context example:

Don't always pick on your little brother

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 4

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Provoke

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

pick a fight or a quarrel

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

call forth; evoke; kick up; provoke (evoke or provoke to appear or occur)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Remove in small bits

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

pick meat from a bone

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 6

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

clean; pick

Context example:

Clean the turkey

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Pilfer or rob

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

pick pockets

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

rob (take something away by force or without the consent of the owner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 8

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Pay for something

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

foot; pick

Context examples:

pick up the tab / pick up the burden of high-interest mortgages / foot the bill

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

pay (give money, usually in exchange for goods or services)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 9

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

plunk; pluck; pick

Context example:

he plucked the strings of his mandolin

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

draw; force; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pick"):

twang (pluck (strings of an instrument))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 10

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pick; break up

Context example:

Pick open the ice

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

pierce (cut or make a way through)

"Pick" entails doing...:

chop; hack (cut with a hacking tool)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 11

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Hit lightly with a picking motion

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

beak; peck; pick

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 12

pick [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Eat intermittently; take small bites of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

nibble; piece; pick

Context examples:

He pieced at the sandwich all morning / She never eats a full meal--she just nibbles

Hypernyms (to "pick" is one way to...):

eat (take in solid food)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something