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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PICK, v.t. [L. pecto.]
1. To pull off or pluck with the fingers something that grows or adheres to another thing; to separate by the hand, as fruit from trees; as, to pick apples or oranges; to pick strawberries.
2. To pull off or separate with the teeth, beak or claws; as, to pick flesh from a bone; hence,
3. To clean by the teeth, fingers or claws, or by a small instrument, by separating something that adheres; as, to pick a bone; to pick the ears.
4. To take up; to cause or seek industriously; as, to pick a quarrel.
5. To separate or pull asunder; to pull into small parcels by the fingers; to separate locks for loosening and cleaning; as, to pick wool.
6. To pierce; to strike with a pointed instrument; as, to pick an apple with a pin.
7. To strike with the bill or beak; to puncture. In this sense, we generally use peck.
8. To steal by taking out with the fingers or hands; as, to pick the pocket.
9. To open by a pointed instrument; as, to pick a lock.
10. To select; to cull; to separate particular things from others; as, to pick the best men from a company. In this sense,the word is often followed by out.
To pick off, to separate by the fingers or by a small pointed instrument.
pick out, to select; to separate individuals from numbers.
To pick up, to take up with the fingers or beak; also, to take particular things here and there; to gather; to glean.
To pick a hole in one's coat, to find fault.
PICK, v.i. To eat slowly or by morsels; to nibble.
1. To do any thing nicely or by attending to small things.
PICK, n. A sharp pointed tool for digging or removing in small quantities.
What the miners call chert and whern--is so hard that the picks will not touch it.
1. Choice; right of selection. You may have your pick.
2. Among printers, foul matter which collects on printing types from the balls, bad ink, or from the paper impressed.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the person or thing chosen or selected; "he was my pick for mayor" [syn: choice, pick, selection]
2: the quantity of a crop that is harvested; "he sent the first picking of berries to the market"; "it was the biggest peach pick in years" [syn: picking, pick]
3: the best people or things in a group; "the cream of England's young men were killed in the Great War" [syn: cream, pick]
4: the yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving [syn: woof, weft, filling, pick]
5: a small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument [syn: pick, plectrum, plectron]
6: a thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted material; "he used a pick to clean the dirt out of the cracks"
7: a heavy iron tool with a wooden handle and a curved head that is pointed on both ends; "they used picks and sledges to break the rocks" [syn: pick, pickax, pickaxe]
8: a basketball maneuver; obstructing an opponent with one's body; "he was called for setting an illegal pick"
9: the act of choosing or selecting; "your choice of colors was unfortunate"; "you can take your pick" [syn: choice, selection, option, pick] v
1: select carefully from a group; "She finally picked her successor"; "He picked his way carefully"
2: look for and gather; "pick mushrooms"; "pick flowers" [syn: pick, pluck, cull]
3: harass with constant criticism; "Don't always pick on your little brother" [syn: blame, find fault, pick]
4: provoke; "pick a fight or a quarrel"
5: remove in small bits; "pick meat from a bone"
6: remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits; "Clean the turkey" [syn: clean, pick]
7: pilfer or rob; "pick pockets"
8: pay for something; "pick up the tab"; "pick up the burden of high-interest mortgages"; "foot the bill" [syn: foot, pick]
9: pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion; "he plucked the strings of his mandolin" [syn: pluck, plunk, pick]
10: attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example; "Pick open the ice" [syn: pick, break up]
11: hit lightly with a picking motion [syn: peck, pick, beak]
12: eat intermittently; take small bites of; "He pieced at the sandwich all morning"; "She never eats a full meal--she just nibbles" [syn: nibble, pick, piece]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English piken, partly from Old English *p?cian (akin to Middle Dutch picken to prick); partly from Middle French piquer to prick — more at pike Date: 14th century 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> <she picked out the most expensive dress> 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 (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 (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> II. noun Date: 15th century 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 III. noun Etymology: Middle English pik Date: 14th century 1. a heavy wooden-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 hair style IV. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English pykken to pitch (a tent); akin to Middle English picchen to pitch Date: 1523 1. chiefly dialect to throw or thrust with effort ; hurl 2. to throw (a shuttle) across the loom V. noun Date: 1627 1. dialect England a. the act of pitching or throwing b. something thrown 2. a. a throw of the shuttle b. a filling thread

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. v. & n. --v.tr. 1 (also absol.) choose carefully from a number of alternatives (picked the pink one; picked a team; picked the right moment to intervene). 2 detach or pluck (a flower, fruit, etc.) from a stem, tree, etc. 3 a probe (the teeth, nose, ears, a pimple, etc.) with the finger, an instrument, etc. to remove unwanted matter. b clear (a bone, carcass, etc.) of scraps of meat etc. 4 (also absol.) (of a person) eat (food, a meal, etc.) in small bits; nibble without appetite. 5 (also absol.) esp. US pluck the strings of (a banjo etc.). 6 remove stalks etc. from (esp. soft fruit) before cooking. 7 a select (a route or path) carefully over difficult terrain by foot. b place (one's steps etc.) carefully. 8 pull apart (pick oakum). 9 (of a bird) take up (grains etc.) in the beak. --n. 1 the act or an instance of picking. 2 a a selection or choice. b the right to select (had first pick of the prizes). 3 (usu. foll. by of) the best (the pick of the bunch). Phrases and idioms: pick and choose select carefully or fastidiously. pick at 1 eat (food) without interest; nibble. 2 = pick on 1 (see PICK(1)). pick a person's brains extract ideas, information, etc., from a person for one's own use. pick holes (or a hole) in 1 make holes in (material etc.) by plucking, poking, etc. 2 find fault with (an idea etc.). pick a lock open a lock with an instrument other than the proper key, esp. with intent to steal. pick-me-up 1 a tonic for the nerves etc. 2 a good experience, good news, etc. that cheers. pick off 1 pluck (leaves etc.) off. 2 shoot (people etc.) one by one without haste. 3 eliminate (opposition etc.) singly. pick on 1 find fault with; nag at. 2 select. pick out 1 take from a larger number (picked him out from the others). 2 distinguish from surrounding objects or at a distance (can just pick out the church spire). 3 play (a tune) by ear on the piano etc. 4 (often foll. by in, with) a highlight (a painting etc.) with touches of another colour. b accentuate (decoration, a painting, etc.) with a contrasting colour (picked out the handles in red). 5 make out (the meaning of a passage etc.). pick over select the best from. pick a person's pockets steal the contents of a person's pockets. pick a quarrel start an argument or a fight deliberately. pick to pieces = take to pieces (see PIECE). pick up 1 grasp and raise (from the ground etc.) (picked up his hat). 2 gain or acquire by chance or without effort (picked up a cold). 3 a fetch (a person, animal, or thing) left in another person's charge. b stop for and take along with one, esp. in a vehicle (pick me up on the corner). 4 make the acquaintance of (a person) casually, esp. as a sexual overture. 5 (of one's health, the weather, share prices, etc.) recover, prosper, improve. 6 (of a motor engine etc.) recover speed; accelerate. 7 (of the police etc.) take into charge; arrest. 8 detect by scrutiny or with a telescope, searchlight, radio, etc. (picked up most of the mistakes; picked up a distress signal). 9 (often foll. by with) form or renew a friendship. 10 accept the responsibility of paying (a bill etc.). 11 (refl.) raise (oneself etc.) after a fall etc. 12 raise (the feet etc.) clear of the ground. 13 Golf pick up one's ball, esp. when conceding a hole. pick-up 1 sl. a person met casually, esp. for sexual purposes. 2 a small open motor truck. 3 a the part of a record-player carrying the stylus. b a detector of vibrations etc. 4 a the act of picking up. b something picked up. pick-your-own (usu. attrib.) (of commercially grown fruit and vegetables) dug or picked by the customer at the place of production. take one's pick make a choice. Derivatives: pickable adj. Etymology: ME, earlier pike, of unkn. orig. 2. n. & v. --n. 1 a long-handled tool having a usu. curved iron bar pointed at one or both ends, used for breaking up hard ground, masonry, etc. 2 colloq. a plectrum. 3 any instrument for picking, such as a toothpick. --v.tr. 1 break the surface of (the ground etc.) with or as if with a pick. 2 make (holes etc.) in this way. Etymology: ME, app. var. of PIKE(2)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pick Pick, v. i. 1. To eat slowly, sparingly, or by morsels; to nibble.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pick Pick, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Picked; p. pr. & vb. n. Picking.] [OE. picken, pikken, to prick, peck; akin to Icel. pikka, Sw. picka, Dan. pikke, D. pikken, G. picken, F. piquer, W. pigo. Cf. Peck, v., Pike, Pitch to throw.] 1. To throw; to pitch. [Obs.] As high as I could pick my lance. --Shak. 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? --Shak. He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems With an old tavern quill, is hungry yet. --Cowper. 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.'' --Shak. 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. 9. To trim. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 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.] --Robynson (More's Utopia). 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pick Pick, n. [F. pic a pickax, a pick. See Pick, and cf. Pike.] 1. A sharp-pointed tool for picking; -- often used in composition; as, a toothpick; a picklock. 2. (Mining & Mech.) A heavy iron tool, curved and sometimes pointed at both ends, wielded by means of a wooden handle inserted in the middle, -- used by quarrymen, roadmakers, etc.; also, a pointed hammer used for dressing millstones.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(picks, picking, picked) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you pick a particular person or thing, you choose that one. Mr Nowell had picked ten people to interview for six sales jobs in London... I had deliberately picked a city with a tropical climate. VERB: V n, V n 2. You can refer to the best things or people in a particular group as the pick of that group. The boys here are the pick of the under-15 cricketers in the country... N-SING: the N, usu the N of n 3. When you pick flowers, fruit, or leaves, you break them off the plant or tree and collect them. She used to pick flowers in the Cromwell Road... VERB: V n 4. If you pick something from a place, you remove it from there with your fingers or your hand. He picked the napkin from his lap and placed it alongside his plate... VERB: V n prep 5. If you pick your nose or teeth, you remove substances from inside your nose or between your teeth. Edgar, don't pick your nose, dear... VERB: V n 6. If you pick a fight or quarrel with someone, you deliberately cause one. He picked a fight with a waiter and landed in jail... VERB: V n with n 7. If someone such as a thief picks a lock, they open it without a key, for example by using a piece of wire. He picked each lock deftly, and rifled the papers within each drawer. VERB: V n 8. A pick is the same as a pickaxe. N-COUNT 9. see also hand-pick, ice pick 10. If you pick and choose, you carefully choose only things that you really want and reject the others. We, the patients, cannot pick and choose our doctors. PHRASE: Vs inflect, usu PHR n 11. If you have your pick of a group of things, you are able to choose any of them that you want. Here is an actress who could have her pick of any part... PHRASE: V inflects, PHR of n 12. If you are told to take your pick, you can choose any one that you like from a group of things. Accountants can take their pick of company cars... PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR of/from n 13. If you pick your way across an area, you walk across it very carefully in order to avoid obstacles or dangerous things. The girls were afraid of snakes and picked their way along with extreme caution... PHRASE: V inflects, PHR prep/adv 14. to pick someone's brains: see brain to pick holes in something: see hole to pick someone's pocket: see pocket

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Peck, pierce, strike at. 2. Pluck, pull off, pick off, gather. 3. Open (as a lock). 4. Choose, select, cull, single out, pick out, fix upon, pitch upon. 5. Clean, cleanse. 6. Gather up, collect, acquire, get. 7. Rob, snatch thievishly. II. v. n. 1. Nibble, eat slowly. 2. Steal, pilfer. III. n. 1. Pickaxe. 2. Tooth-pick. 3. Pike, spike. 4. Choice, right of selection.

Moby Thesaurus

abuse, accelerate, accost, accumulate, acquire, adz, aggravate, alternativity, amass, annoy, apprehend, arrest, assemble, ax, badger, bait, be at, beak, become acquainted with, bedevil, beset, best, bother, bread knife, bring in, bring together, bristle, browbeat, brown off, brush, bug, bully, bullyrag, bunt, burn up, bushwhacker, bust, butcher knife, buy, call for, carp at, carving knife, catch, champion, chaser, chisel, chivy, choice, choose, choose out, choosing, chosen, chuck, clean up, cleaver, clipper, clippers, co-optation, co-option, collar, collect, come by, come down with, contract, cream, criticize, crop, crop herbs, cull, cut, dab, dagger, decide between, decision, devil, dig, dig up, discern, discompose, discriminate, distemper, distinguish, disturb, dog, elect, election, elite, exasperate, excerpt, exclusive, exercise, extract, fash, fat, filling, fillip, find, first choice, flick, flip, flirt, flower, foment, free choice, free will, fret at, fuss at, gain, garner, gather, gather in, get, get better, get hold of, get in, get together, glean, go to get, gouge, grabble, graze, gripe, grub, grub up, hack, handpick, harass, harry, harvest, hassle, hatchet, hay, heckle, hector, heft, henpeck, hoe, hoist, hound, hunting knife, improve, incite, increase, initiate, intimidate, irk, irritate, jackknife, jest, kill, knife, lance, lancet, learn, letter-opener, lift up, machete, make a comeback, make a selection, make headway, make out, make progress, mark, master, mattock, meet, miff, molest, mow, nab, nag, nag at, neaten, needle, nettle, nibble, nibble at, nick, niggle, nippers, nonesuch, nonpareil, nosh, nudzh, nut, obtain, opt for, optimum, option, paper cutter, paper knife, paragon, paring knife, pat, peck, peck at, peeve, penknife, perk up, persecute, pester, pick and choose, pick at, pick off, pick on, pick out, pick up, pickax, picked, pinch, pique, plague, plectron, plectrum, plowshare, pluck, pluck the beard, plunk, pother, prefer, preference, preoption, pride, prime, prize, provoke, pull in, purchase, queen, quintessence, raise up, rake up, rally, rap, razor, razor blade, reap, reap and carry, recognize, recoup, recover, ride, rile, roil, round up, ruffle, run in, saw knife, sax, scalpel, scare up, scissors, scoop, scrape together, scrape up, scraper, screen out, scuffle hoe, scythe, select, selected, selection, separate, settle on, settle upon, share, shears, sheath knife, shoot, shoot down, sickle, sidecutters, sift, sift out, single out, snack, snap, snips, sort out, spear, speed up, spokeshave, start, stir up, straighten out, straighten up, strum, superlative, surgical knife, sweep the strings, sword, table knife, take, take in, take into custody, take up, tap, taunt, tease, tell apart, the best, the best ever, the pick, the tops, the very best, thrum, tickle, tidy up, tip, top, torment, touch, try the patience, twang, tweak the nose, vex, volition, warp, wedge, weft, whisk, will, winnow, woof, work up, worry, yap at