pick
B1Neutral (used across formal, informal, spoken and written contexts)
Definition
Meaning
To choose or select from a number of alternatives.
To remove something from a surface using fingers or a tool; to play a stringed instrument by plucking; to engage in minor criticism or fault-finding.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has multiple distinct but related meanings: selection, removal, playing music, and criticism. Context usually disambiguates. As a noun, it can mean a tool (ice pick), choice, or the best of something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal difference in core meanings. In sports contexts, UK often uses 'pick' for selection, while US may also use 'draft'. The noun 'pickaxe' is more common in UK English; 'pickax' in US.
Connotations
In both, 'pick on someone' means to bully/criticise. 'Pick at food' means to eat slowly/little.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects. The phrasal verb 'pick up' (collect, learn, improve) is extremely common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
pick + NP (pick a card)pick + NP + from + NP (pick a book from the shelf)pick + NP + as + NP (pick him as captain)pick + at + NP (pick at your food)pick + on + NP (pick on the new kid)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pick someone's brains”
- “pick up the pieces”
- “pick up the tab”
- “pick holes in something”
- “the pick of the bunch”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To select a candidate, supplier, or strategy (e.g., 'We need to pick a vendor by Friday').
Academic
To choose a topic, method, or quote (e.g., 'The researcher must pick a suitable theoretical framework').
Everyday
To choose food, clothes, or entertainment (e.g., 'Can you pick a film for tonight?').
Technical
In computing: to select an item from a list. In music: to pluck guitar strings. In mining: to use a pickaxe.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- He was the first pick for the rugby team.
- We need a pick to break up this hard soil.
- This vintage is the pick of the wines.
American English
- She's the top pick in the NFL draft.
- He used a pick to open the old lock.
- The red one is my pick.
verb
British English
- Please pick a colour for the lounge.
- He tends to pick at his food when he's nervous.
- Don't pick the scab or it won't heal.
American English
- Pick a card, any card.
- She's learning to pick the guitar.
- He always picks the fastest checkout line.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Pick the red ball.
- I will pick you up at seven.
- She picked a flower from the garden.
- It's hard to pick just one favourite book.
- He's always picking on his little sister.
- Can you pick up some milk on your way home?
- The committee will pick the winner based on merit.
- After the argument, it took time to pick up the pieces of their friendship.
- He has a knack for picking winning stocks.
- The director handpicked each member of the ensemble for their unique talent.
- Critics were quick to pick holes in the government's new policy proposal.
- She can pick up the nuances of a new language with astonishing speed.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chicken PECKing at the ground to CHOOSE grains – PICK sounds like PECK and involves choosing.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHOOSING IS GATHERING/REMOVING (you 'pick' an option like you 'pick' fruit from a tree).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить 'pick up' (поднять, забрать) как просто 'поднимать'.
- Не путать 'pick' (выбирать) и 'peak' (пик).
- 'Pick at food' означает 'ковыряться в еде', а не 'подбирать еду'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I picked him a present' (means you chose him FOR a present). Correct: 'I picked out a present for him'.
- Incorrect: 'She was picked from the team' (ambiguous). Correct: 'She was picked for the team' or 'She was picked from the squad'.
- Confusing 'pick' (choose) with 'peck' (bird's bite).
Practice
Quiz
In the phrase 'pick up the tab', what does 'pick up' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Pick' is often more informal and implies a simpler, sometimes arbitrary choice. 'Choose' suggests more careful consideration. 'Select' is more formal and implies a careful choice from many options.
Yes, but often in specific contexts like 'pick a candidate' or 'the pick of the crop'. For very formal prose, 'select' or 'choose' might be preferred for the basic meaning.
It's a highly frequent phrasal verb with many meanings including: to lift, to collect someone/something, to learn (a skill) informally, to improve (health/business), to notice, or to start a romantic relationship informally.
Yes. Common noun meanings include: a tool with a pointed head (ice pick, pickaxe), the act of choosing (first pick in the draft), or the best of something (the pick of the bunch).