Pick

pik, v. [picked (pikt), picking.] To peck at, like birds with their bills; to strike at with anything pointed; to open, as a lock; to separate, as wool, cotton, hair, oakum, etc.; to pull away, gather, esp. with the fingers, as fruit from a tree, corn from a stalk, etc. to pluck; to cleanse, by removing (with a pointed instrument or the fingers) that which objectionable; to take away by a quick, unexpected movement, take up suddenly; to choose, select, cull; to seek or desire; to collect, bring together. — v. To eat slowly or by morsels, nibble; to do anything nicely; to steal, pilfer. — n. A sharp-pointed tool; esp. (Mining & Mech.), a tool with a wooden handle and a heavy curved iron head tapering to a point at each end, used for loosening and breaking up am, fame, far, pa or opera, fare end, PIE hard earth, ground, stones, etc. Choice; right of selection. [ME. and G. picken, AS. pycan, to pick, peck, Ir. piocaim, Ga. pioc, to pick, pluck, nibble; peak, pitch, peck, pike.] — To pick out. To select to ornament or relieve with stripes of a different color. — To p. up. To improve slowly in health; to gather here and there. — Pick'er, n. One who, etc. {Mech.) A machine for picking fibrous materials to pieces. — Pick'ing, n. Act of plucking, selecting, etc.; that which is left to be picked or gleaned; act of pilfering; thing stolen. — Pick'- ax, -axe, n. A pick with a point at one end, a transverse edge or blade at the other, and a handle inserted at the middle; a pick. [ME. pikois, jnkeys, OF. piqucns, fr. piquer, to pick, pic, a pick, pickax; not fr. ax.] — Pick'- 6~ lock, n. An instrument for opening locks when there is no" key a person who picks locks. — Pickpocket, n. One Pickax, who steals from another's pocket. — Pick'et, n. A stake sharpened, used in fortification and encampments a narrow board pointed, used in fences. {Mil.) A guard posted in front of an army, to give notice of the approach of an enemy. — v. To fortify, inclose, or fence with pickets; to fasten to a Sicket. [F. piquet, picquet, a little pickax, also a peg riven into the ground to fasten horses, hence a cavalry outpost, dim. of pic: see Pickax, above.] — Pick'et-guard, n. {Mil.) A guard of horse and foot always in readine in case of alarm.