pick at
To touch, grab, handle, or pull tentatively or gingerly, using a utensil or one's fingers.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Don't pick at your food if you aren't hungry.”
“She was so nervous during the interview that she kept picking at the loose thread on her sleeve.”
“The child sat quietly in the corner, picking at the peeling paint on the old wooden chair while the adults argued.”
- 01
captain's pick
A decision made by a leader without consulting others.
- 02
have a bone to pick
To have a complaint or grievance (with somebody); to have a contentious issue to discuss.
- 03
pick apart
To review or analyse in great detail
- 04
pick corners
To choose a preference (as in predicting which boxer will win a match).
- 05
pick holes
To find weaknesses, errors or imperfections (in).
- 06
pick of the litter
The best person or item in a group; the best that one has to offer.
- 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.
- 08
pick one's battles
To involve oneself in disputes only if one is likely to win.
Last updated August 10, 2026