'To pick at' definitions:

Definition of 'To pick at'

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]

Words containing 'To pick at'