English Reference
Idiom idiom

captain's pick


A decision made by a leader without consulting others.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The manager made a captain's pick to change our schedule.

CONTEXTUAL

Without asking the team for their input, the director made a captain's pick to move the project deadline forward.

COMPLEX

Ignoring the consensus of his advisors, the executive made a controversial captain's pick that fundamentally altered the company's long-term strategy.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    have a bone to pick

    To have a complaint or grievance (with somebody); to have a contentious issue to discuss.

  2. 02

    pick apart

    To review or analyse in great detail

  3. 03

    pick at

    To touch, grab, handle, or pull tentatively or gingerly, using a utensil or one's fingers.

  4. 04

    pick corners

    To choose a preference (as in predicting which boxer will win a match).

  5. 05

    pick holes

    To find weaknesses, errors or imperfections (in).

  6. 06

    pick of the litter

    The best person or item in a group; the best that one has to offer.

  7. 07

    pick on someone your own size

    An admonition of cowardice, usually said to make someone cease harassing or bullying someone else, especially where the bullied party is physically smaller or weaker than the bully.

  8. 08

    pick one's battles

    To involve oneself in disputes only if one is likely to win.

Last updated August 10, 2026