Note: The translation for this entry is currently under quality review. Some content is temporarily displayed in English only.
pick
/pɪk/
The word centers on the action of selective removal—whether that is selecting a person for a role, plucking a berry from a stem, or removing a splinter from skin. It implies a focused, precise action rather than a broad or random one. When used as "choose," it feels more casual and immediate than "select." While "select" suggests a formal process of elimination based on criteria, "pick" can be spontaneous or intuitive. In the context of movement ("pick their way"), it evokes an image of careful, step-by-step navigation. This shifts the meaning from selecting an object to selecting the safest possible path. As a noun, it fluctuates between a tool (the physical instrument of picking) and the result of a choice (the person picked). In both cases, there is a sense of pointedness or specificity.
Countable when referring to the physical tool used by a miner or the specific person chosen for a role ('the first pick'). Uncountable when referring to the act of choosing in general ('take your pick').
💬Conversación Casual
Hey Brian, can I just pick whichever monitor I want for my desk?
Hard pass. IT assigns them based on specs, so just sit tight.
Meanings
To choose or select from a group of people or things.
"Please pick a card from the deck."
To detach and remove a flower, fruit, or leaf from a plant.
"The children spent the afternoon picking wild strawberries."
To remove something from a surface using your fingers or a tool.
"He tried to pick the lint off his blazer."
To move or act with caution and deliberation, often to avoid danger.
"The hikers had to pick their way carefully through the rocky terrain."