'To pick a quarrel' definitions:

Definition of 'To pick a quarrel'

From: GCIDE

Quarrel \Quar"rel\, n. [OE. querele, OF. querele, F. querelle, fr. L. querela, querella, a complaint, fr. queri to complain. See Querulous.]
1. A breach of concord, amity, or obligation; a falling out; a difference; a disagreement; an antagonism in opinion, feeling, or conduct; esp., an angry dispute, contest, or strife; a brawl; an altercation; as, he had a quarrel with his father about expenses. [1913 Webster]
I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant. --Lev. xxvi. 25. [1913 Webster]
On open seas their quarrels they debate. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
2. Ground of objection, dislike, difference, or hostility; cause of dispute or contest; occasion of altercation. [1913 Webster]
Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him. --Mark vi. 19. [1913 Webster]
No man hath any quarrel to me. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
He thought he had a good quarrel to attack him. --Holinshed. [1913 Webster]
3. Earnest desire or longing. [Obs.] --Holland. [1913 Webster]
To pick a quarrel. See under Pick, v. t. [1913 Webster]
Syn: Brawl; broil; squabble; affray; feud; tumult; contest; dispute; altercation; contention; wrangle. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'To pick a quarrel'

From: GCIDE

Pick \Pick\ (p[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Picked (p[i^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Picking.] [OE. picken, pikken, to prick, peck; akin to Icel. pikka, Sw. picka, Dan. pikke, D. pikken, G. picken, F. piquer, W. pigo. Cf. Peck, v., Pike, Pitch to throw.]
1. To throw; to pitch. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
As high as I could pick my lance. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2. To peck at, as a bird with its beak; to strike at with anything pointed; to act upon with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to prick, as with a pin. [1913 Webster]
3. To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points; as, to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc. [1913 Webster]
4. To open (a lock) as by a wire. [1913 Webster]
5. To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc. [1913 Webster]
6. To remove something from with a pointed instrument, with the fingers, or with the teeth; as, to pick the teeth; to pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket. [1913 Webster]
Did you pick Master Slender's purse? --Shak. [1913 Webster]
He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems With an old tavern quill, is hungry yet. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]
7. To choose; to select; to separate as choice or desirable; to cull; as, to pick one's company; to pick one's way; -- often with out. "One man picked out of ten thousand." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
8. To take up; esp., to gather from here and there; to collect; to bring together; as, to pick rags; -- often with up; as, to pick up a ball or stones; to pick up information. [1913 Webster]
9. To trim. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]