# pick /ˈpɪk/ (US) · /pˈɪk/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pick Updated: 2026-06-19 ## Senses ### 1. to choose verb · CEFR A1 to select something or someone from a group. For teachers: to select from a number of alternatives. - You can pick any book you like from the shelf. - The committee will pick the most qualified candidate after reviewing all the submitted portfolios. ### 2. to harvest verb · CEFR A2 to take flowers, fruit, or vegetables off a plant. For teachers: to harvest or gather by plucking from the place of growth. - We spent the afternoon picking apples in the orchard. - The vineyard workers must pick the grapes at the precise moment of ripeness to ensure the wine's quality. ### 3. to remove small pieces verb · CEFR B1 to use your fingers or a tool to remove small bits of something. For teachers: to remove something from a surface or cavity using the fingers or a pointed instrument. - He tried to pick the lint off his black sweater. - The bird used its beak to pick insects out of the crevices in the tree bark. ### 4. to start a fight verb · CEFR B2 to intentionally start an argument or a fight with someone. For teachers: to provoke or initiate a quarrel or conflict deliberately. - He was looking for trouble and tried to pick a fight with the waiter. - It is unwise to pick a quarrel with a colleague over such a trivial administrative matter. ### 5. to open a lock verb · CEFR B2 to open a lock without using the proper key. For teachers: to open a lock by using a wire or tool other than the intended key. - The thief managed to pick the lock in less than a minute. - The protagonist in the film had to pick the lock of the safe to retrieve the stolen documents. ### 6. a choice noun · CEFR B1 the person or thing that has been chosen. For teachers: the act of selecting or the person or thing selected. - The blue dress was her top pick for the party. - The coach announced that the young striker was his first pick for the starting lineup. ### 7. a digging tool noun · CEFR B1 a heavy tool with a curved metal head used for breaking hard ground. For teachers: a heavy tool with a long handle and a curved metal head pointed at one or both ends. - The miners used a pick to break through the hard rock. - The archaeological team carefully used a pick and shovel to clear the compacted earth from the site. ### 8. guitar tool noun · CEFR B1 a small, flat piece of plastic used to play a guitar. For teachers: a small thin piece of plastic, ivory, or metal used to pluck the strings of a guitar or similar instrument. - He dropped his guitar pick inside the acoustic guitar by accident. - The lead guitarist prefers a heavy pick to achieve a sharper attack during his solos. ### 9. the best noun · CEFR C1 · Formal the best part or the best items in a group. For teachers: the best or most desirable part of a group or collection. - They had the pick of the best seats because they arrived early. - As the first investor, she had the pick of the most promising startups in the incubator program. ### 10. sports block noun · CEFR B2 · American English a move in sports where a player blocks a defender to help a teammate. For teachers: an offensive manoeuvre in which a player stands in the way of a defender to free a teammate for a shot or pass. - The center set a pick to help the guard get an open shot. - The referee whistled for a foul because the player was moving while attempting to set a pick. ## Examples - This blue shirt is my top pick for the party. - The coach announced his final pick for the starting lineup just minutes before the game began. - While the critic's first pick for the award was a low-budget indie film, the rest of the committee favored the big-studio blockbuster for its technical achievements. --- From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.