PICKING

To grasp and pull with the fingers or fingernails.

Example: "Don't pick at that scab."

To harvest a fruit or vegetable for consumption by removing it from the plant to which it is attached; to harvest an entire plant by removing it from the ground.

Example: "It's time to pick the tomatoes."

To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to pluck.

Example: "She picked flowers in the meadow."

To take up; especially, to gather from here and there; to collect; to bring together.

Example: "To pick rags"

To remove something from somewhere with a pointed instrument, with the fingers, or with the teeth.

Example: "To pick the teeth; to pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket"

To decide upon, from a set of options; to select.

Example: "I'll pick the one with the nicest name."

To seek (a fight or quarrel) where the opportunity arises.

To recognise the type of ball being bowled by a bowler by studying the position of the hand and arm as the ball is released.

Example: "He didn't pick the googly, and was bowled."

To pluck the individual strings of a musical instrument or to play such an instrument.

Example: "He picked a tune on his banjo."

To open (a lock) with a wire, lock pick, etc.

To eat slowly, sparingly, or by morsels; to nibble.

To do anything fastidiously or carefully, or by attending to small things; to select something with care.

Example: "I gingerly picked my way between the thorny shrubs."

To steal; to pilfer.

To throw; to pitch.

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.

To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points.

Example: "To pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc."

To screen.