pick out
To distinguish; discern.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Can you pick out the best apple from this basket?”
“It was dark, but she could just barely pick out the shape of the house in the distance.”
“Amidst the chaotic noise of the crowded station, he struggled to pick out the specific melody of the distant street performer.”
A phrasal verb formed from the Middle English *picken* and the adverb *out*, the construction parallels the Saterland Frisian *uutpikke* and the Dutch *uitpikken*. Records indicate the components functioned as a compound for selection and discernment from at least the 14th century.
- 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 at
To touch, grab, handle, or pull tentatively or gingerly, using a utensil or one's fingers.
- 05
pick corners
To choose a preference (as in predicting which boxer will win a match).
- 06
pick holes
To find weaknesses, errors or imperfections (in).
- 07
pick of the litter
The best person or item in a group; the best that one has to offer.
- 08
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.
Last updated August 10, 2026