pick
- 01 A1 Beginner
v.to select something or someone from a group.
v.to select from a number of alternatives.
Simple“You can pick any book you like from the shelf.”
In context“The committee will pick the most qualified candidate after reviewing all the submitted portfolios.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
v.to take flowers, fruit, or vegetables off a plant.
v.to harvest or gather by plucking from the place of growth.
Simple“We spent the afternoon picking apples in the orchard.”
In context“The vineyard workers must pick the grapes at the precise moment of ripeness to ensure the wine's quality.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to use your fingers or a tool to remove small bits of something.
v.to remove something from a surface or cavity using the fingers or a pointed instrument.
Simple“He tried to pick the lint off his black sweater.”
In context“The bird used its beak to pick insects out of the crevices in the tree bark.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to intentionally start an argument or a fight with someone.
v.to provoke or initiate a quarrel or conflict deliberately.
Simple“He was looking for trouble and tried to pick a fight with the waiter.”
In context“It is unwise to pick a quarrel with a colleague over such a trivial administrative matter.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to open a lock without using the proper key.
v.to open a lock by using a wire or tool other than the intended key.
Simple“The thief managed to pick the lock in less than a minute.”
In context“The protagonist in the film had to pick the lock of the safe to retrieve the stolen documents.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
- 07 B1 Intermediate
n.a heavy tool with a curved metal head used for breaking hard ground.
n.a heavy tool with a long handle and a curved metal head pointed at one or both ends.
Simple“The miners used a pick to break through the hard rock.”
In context“The archaeological team carefully used a pick and shovel to clear the compacted earth from the site.”
Synonymspickaxe - 08 B1 Intermediate
n.a small, flat piece of plastic used to play a guitar.
n.a small thin piece of plastic, ivory, or metal used to pluck the strings of a guitar or similar instrument.
Simple“He dropped his guitar pick inside the acoustic guitar by accident.”
In context“The lead guitarist prefers a heavy pick to achieve a sharper attack during his solos.”
Synonymsplectrum - 09 C1 Advanced
n.the best part or the best items in a group.
n.the best or most desirable part of a group or collection.
Simple“They had the pick of the best seats because they arrived early.”
In context“As the first investor, she had the pick of the most promising startups in the incubator program.”
- 10 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a move in sports where a player blocks a defender to help a teammate.
n.an offensive manoeuvre in which a player stands in the way of a defender to free a teammate for a shot or pass.
Simple“The center set a pick to help the guard get an open shot.”
In context“The referee whistled for a foul because the player was moving while attempting to set a pick.”
Usage picks up her phone
“After you pick your door, as is traditional, the host opens one door, which he knows doesn’t have the car.”
From Middle English piken, picken, pikken, from Old English piccian, pīcian (attested in pīcung (“a pricking”)), and pīcan, pȳcan (“to pick, prick, pluck”), both from Proto-West Germanic pikkōn, from Proto-Germanic pikkōną (“to pick, peck, prick, knock”), from Proto-Indo-European bew-, bu- (“to make a dull, hollow sound”). Doublet of pitch and peck. Cognate with Dutch pikken (“to pick”), German picken (“to pick, peck”), Old Norse pikka, pjakka (whence Icelandic pikka (“to pick, prick”), Swedish picka (“to pick, peck”)). Compare also German Low German puken (“to pick out, rip out, pull away, extract”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.