picking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighNeutral to Informal (depending on context; 'nitpicking' is informal)
Quick answer
What does “picking” mean?
The action of selecting or removing something from a group or place, often with the fingers or a pointed instrument.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The action of selecting or removing something from a group or place, often with the fingers or a pointed instrument.
Can refer to harvesting crops, choosing from options, the act of criticizing in a petty way (nitpicking), or playing a stringed instrument (e.g., guitar) by plucking the strings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Fruit picking' is common in both. 'Nit-picking' (with hyphen) is slightly more formal in British English, while 'nitpicking' (solid) is standard in American English.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'picking' can have a negative connotation when associated with 'picking on someone' (bullying) or 'nitpicking' (petty criticism).
Frequency
Equally frequent and understood in all standard contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “picking” in a Sentence
[subject] + be + picking + [object] (continuous)[subject] + go + picking (e.g., go berry picking)[subject] + be + picking + at + [object] (e.g., picking at a scab)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “picking” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She was picking blackberries in the hedgerow.
- He's always picking at his nails when he's nervous.
American English
- They're picking a new team captain this afternoon.
- Stop picking on your little brother.
adjective
British English
- The picking season for strawberries is short.
- He has a delicate picking technique on the guitar.
American English
- We need more picking baskets for the orchard.
- The lock-picking kit was confiscated.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to selecting candidates, suppliers, or stocks (e.g., 'picking a winning strategy').
Academic
Used in discussing methodological selection (e.g., 'picking a sample group') or in literary criticism (e.g., 'picking apart an argument').
Everyday
Common for choosing items, food (e.g., 'picking a restaurant'), or minor criticism (e.g., 'stop picking on me').
Technical
In computing, 'picking' can refer to selecting an on-screen object. In locksmithing, it's the skill of opening a lock without a key.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “picking”
- Using 'picking' for a single, definitive choice in formal writing (use 'selecting' or 'choosing').
- Confusing 'picking' (ongoing) with 'to pick' (base form) in sentence structure (e.g., 'I enjoy to pick apples' is wrong; use 'I enjoy picking apples').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be metaphorical, as in 'picking a fight' (initiating) or 'picking a winner' (predicting).
'Picking' often suggests a more casual, physical, or intuitive action, while 'choosing' implies more deliberation and formality.
Yes, as in 'The picking of the teams took an hour' or 'Apple picking is a popular autumn activity.'
It focuses on finding trivial faults in a petty way, undermining the main point or effort.
The action of selecting or removing something from a group or place, often with the fingers or a pointed instrument.
Picking is usually neutral to informal (depending on context; 'nitpicking' is informal) in register.
Picking: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɪkɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɪkɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pick and choose”
- “pick someone's brain”
- “pick a fight”
- “pick up the pieces”
- “pick holes in something”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chicken PICKING at grain on the ground—using its beak to select and grab individual pieces.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHOOSING IS PHYSICALLY GRASPING (e.g., 'pick a card'), CRITICISM IS PHYSICAL POKING/PLUCKING (e.g., 'picking at flaws').
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'picking' NOT imply careful selection?