Verb

(en verb)

To grasp and pull with the fingers or fingernails.

Don't pick at that scab.

He picked his nose.

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.

It's time to pick the tomatoes.

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

She picked flowers in the meadow.

to pick feathers from a fowl

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

to pick rags

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

to pick''' the teeth; to '''pick''' a bone; to '''pick''' a goose; to '''pick a pocket

* Shakespeare

Did you pick Master Slender's purse?

* Cowper

He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems / With an old tavern quill, is hungry yet.

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

I'll pick the one with the nicest name.

(cricket) 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.

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

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

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.

* Dryden

Why stand'st thou picking ? Is thy palate sore?

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

To steal; to pilfer.

* Book of Common Prayer

to keep my hands from picking and stealing

(obsolete) To throw; to pitch.

* Shakespeare

as high as I could pick my lance

(dated) 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.

to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc.

Verb

(en verb)

To lift, move, or collect with a scoop or as though with a scoop.

He used both hands to scoop water and splash it on his face.

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=December 27 , author=Mike Henson , title=Norwich 0 - 2 Tottenham , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Their first clear opportunity duly came courtesy of a mistake from Russell Martin, who was hustled off the ball by Bale, but the midfielder scooped his finish well over the top as he bore down on the Norwich goal.}}

To learn something, especially something worthy of a news article, before (someone else).

The paper across town scooped them on the City Hall scandal.

To begin a vocal note slightly below the target pitch and then to slide up to the target pitch, especially in country music.

To consume an alcoholic beverage.

He was caught scooping in the local park.