To pick at, to tease or vex by pertinacious annoyance. -- To pick a
bone with. See under Bone. -- To pick a thank, to curry favor. [Obs.]
Robynson (More's Utopia). -- To pick off. (a) To pluck; to remove by
picking. (b) To shoot or bring down, one by one; as, sharpshooters pick
off the enemy. -- To pick out. (a) To mark out; to variegate; as, to
pick out any dark stuff with lines or spots of bright colors. (b) To
select from a number or quantity. -- To pick to pieces, to pull apart
piece by piece; hence [Colloq.], to analyze; esp., to criticize in
detail. -- To pick a quarrel, to give occasion of quarrel
intentionally. -- To pick up. (a) To take up, as with the fingers. (b)
To get by repeated efforts; to gather here and there; as, to pick up a
livelihood; to pick up news.
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Pick (?), v. i. 1. To eat slowly, sparingly, or by morsels; to nibble.
Why stand'st thou picking? Is thy palate sore?
Dryden.
2. To do anything nicely or carefully, or by attending to small things;
to select something with care.
3. To steal; to pilfer. "To keep my hands from picking and stealing."
Book of Com. Prayer.
To pick up, to improve by degrees; as, he is picking up in health or
business. [Colloq. U.S.]
Pick, n. [F. pic a pickax, a pick. See Pick, and cf. Pike.] 1. A
sharp-pointed tool for picking; -- often used in composition; as, a
toothpick; a picklock.
2. (Mining & Mech.) A heavy iron tool, curved and sometimes pointed at
both ends, wielded by means of a wooden handle inserted in the middle,
-- used by quarrymen, roadmakers, etc.; also, a pointed hammer used for
dressing millstones.
3. A pike or spike; the sharp point fixed in the center of a buckler.
[Obs.] "Take down my buckler . . . and grind the pick on 't." Beau. &
Fl.