Akademik

pick at

verb

1. pluck or pull at with the fingers (Freq. 1)

- She picked nervously at the buttons of her blouse

• Syn: ↑pluck at, ↑pull at

• Hypernyms: ↑pull

• Verb Frames:

- Somebody ——s something

2. eat like a bird

- The anorexic girl just picks at her food

• Syn: ↑peck at, ↑peck

• Hypernyms: ↑eat

• Verb Frames:

- Somebody ——s

- Somebody ——s something
(for: ↑peck at)

- Somebody ——s something

- They pick at more bread

3. express a negative opinion of

- She disparaged her student's efforts

• Ant: ↑flatter (for: ↑disparage)

• Derivationally related forms: ↑disparagement (for: ↑disparage), ↑disparager (for: ↑disparage)

• Hyponyms:

• Verb Frames:

- Somebody ——s something

- Somebody ——s somebody

* * *

pick at [phrasal verb]

1 pick at (something)

1 a : to eat small amounts of (food) very slowly usually because you do not want to eat

She picked at a salad while I ate my steak.

1 b : to pull on (something) with your fingertips or your fingernails often because you are nervous

She picked at the buttons on her jacket while waiting for her interview.

He was picking at his shoelaces.

2 pick at (someone or something) : to criticize (someone or something) especially for small mistakes

They're constantly arguing and picking at each other.

• • •

Main Entry: ↑pick

Useful english dictionary. 2012.