Tra từ pick - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

pick [pick picks picked picking] verb, noun BrE [pɪk] NAmE [pɪk]
verb
1. transitive (rather informal)to choose sb/sth from a group of people or things
•~ sb/sth Pick a number from one to twenty.
• She picked the best cake for herself.
•He picked his words carefully.
•Have I picked a bad time to talk to you?
•~ sb/sth to do sth He has been picked to play in this week's game.
see also ↑hand-picked
2. transitive ~ sth to take flowers, fruit, etc. from the plant or the tree where they are growing
•to pick grapes
•flowers freshly picked from the garden
•to go blackberry picking
3. transitive to pull or remove sth or small pieces of sth from sth else, especially with your fingers
•~ sth + adv./prep. She picked bits of fluff from his sweater.
• He picked the nuts off the top of the cake.
•~ sth to pick your nose (= put your finger inside your nose to remove dried ↑mucus )
•to pick your teeth (= use a small sharp piece of wood to remove pieces of food from your teeth)
•~ sth + adj. The dogs picked the bones clean (= ate all the meat from the bones).
4. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) (NAmE) = ↑pluck (³)
more at have a bone to pick with sb at ↑bone _n., pick/pull/tear sb to pieces/shreds at ↑piece _n., pick/pull/tear sb to pieces/shreds at ↑shred _n.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
v. and n. senses 1 to 3 Middle English pike Dutch pikken ‘pick, peck’ German picken ‘peck, puncture’ French piquer ‘to prick’ n. sense 4 Middle English ↑pike ‘weapon’

Thesaurus:
pick verb
1. T (informal)
•Names were picked at random out of a hat.
choose • • select • • decide • • opt • • single sb/sth out • • adopt • |informal go for sth •
pick/choose/select/single out A from B
pick/choose/select/decide between A and B
pick/choose/select/single out/adopt/go for sb/sth as sb/sth
pick/choose/select/single out sb/sth for sb/sth
Pick, choose or select? When you select sth you usually choose it carefully, unless you actually say that it is selected randomly/at random. Pick is a more informal word that describes a less careful action. Choose is the most general of these words and the only one that can be used without an object:
•You choose— I can't decide
✗ You select/pick— I can't decide.
2. T
•They picked some blackberries from the hedgerow.
harvest • |literary gather •
pick/harvest/gather fruit
harvest/gather a crop

Synonyms:
choose
select • pick • decide • opt • go for
These words all mean to decide which thing or person you want out of the ones that are available.
choose • to decide which thing or person you want out of the ones that are available: ▪ You choose— I can't decide.
select • [often passive] to choose sb/sth, usually carefully, from a group of people or things: ▪ He was selected for the team. ◇ ▪ a randomly selected sample of 23 schools
pick • (rather informal) to choose sb/sth from a group of people or things: ▪ She picked the best cake for herself.
choose, select or pick?
Choose is the most general of these words and the only one that can be used without an object. When you select sth, you choose it carefully, unless you actually say that it is selected randomly/at random. Pick is a more informal word and often a less careful action, used especially when the choice being made is not very important.
decide • to choose between two or more possibilities: ▪ We're still trying to ▪ decide on ▪ a venue.
opt • to choose to take or not to take a particular course of action: ▪ After graduating she opted for a career in music. ◇ ▪ After a lot of thought, I ▪ opted against ▪ buying a motorbike.
go for sth • (rather informal) to choose sth: ▪ I think I'll go for the fruit salad.
to choose/select/pick/decide between A and/or B
to choose/select/pick A from B
to opt/go for sb/sth
to choose/decide/opt to do sth
to choose/select/pick sb/sth carefully/at random
randomly chosen/selected/picked

Example Bank:
•Have you been picked for the team?
•He picked the pan up carefully by the handle.
•He was picked out as the best player.
•I hurriedly picked up the receiver.
•I idly picked up a magazine and flicked through it.
•Names were picked at random out of a hat.
•Rather gingerly, George picked up the tiny bundle.
•She gently picked up a plate and examined it.
•She stooped down to pick up a stone.
•She stooped to pick the book up off the floor.
•They picked Jane as the captain.
•freshly picked strawberries
•He has been picked to play in this week's game.
•The common was a great place to go blackberry picking.
•They picked some flowers and arranged them into a beautiful bouquet.
•to pick grapes/strawberries/cotton
Idioms: ↑pick a fight ▪ ↑pick a lock ▪ ↑pick a winner ▪ ↑pick and choose ▪ ↑pick holes in something ▪ ↑pick somebody's brains ▪ ↑pick somebody's pocket ▪ ↑pick up speed ▪ pick up the bill/tab ▪ ↑pick up the pieces ▪ ↑pick up the threads ▪ ↑pick your way
Derived: ↑pick at something ▪ ↑pick on somebody ▪ ↑pick somebody off ▪ ↑pick somebody out ▪ ↑pick somebody up ▪ ↑pick somebody up on something ▪ ↑pick something off ▪ ↑pick something out ▪ ↑pick something over ▪ ↑pick something up ▪ ↑pick through something ▪ ↑pick up ▪ ↑pick up on something ▪ ↑pick yourself up

noun
1. singular (rather informal)an act of choosing sth
•Take your pick (= choose).
•The winner gets first pick of the prizes.
2. countable (informal)a person or thing that is chosen
•She was his pick for best actress.
3. singular the ~ of sth (rather informal)the best thing or things in a group
•We're reviewing the pick of this month's new books.
•I think we got the pick of the bunch (= the best in the group).
4. countable = ↑pickaxe
•picks and shovels
5. countable (informal) = ↑plectrum
see also ↑ice pick, ↑toothpick, see the best/pick of the bunch at ↑bunch _n.

Word Origin:
v. and n. senses 1 to 3 Middle English pike Dutch pikken ‘pick, peck’ German picken ‘peck, puncture’ French piquer ‘to prick’ n. sense 4 Middle English ↑pike ‘weapon’

Synonyms:
choice
favourite • preference • selection • pick
These are all words for a person or thing that is chosen, or that is liked more than others.
choice • a person or thing that is chosen: ▪ She's the obvious choice for the job.
favourite/favorite • a person or thing that you like more than the others of the same type: ▪ Which one's your favourite?
preference • a thing that is liked better or best: ▪ Tastes and preferences vary from individual to individual.
favourite or preference?
Your favourites are the things you like best, and that you have, do, listen to, etc. often; your preferences are the things that you would rather have or do if you can choose.
selection • a number of people or things that have been chosen from a larger group: ▪ A selection of reader's comments are published below.
pick • (rather informal, especially NAmE) a person or thing that is chosen: ▪ She was his pick for best actress.
sb's choice/favourite/pick for sth
sb's choice/selection/pick as sth
an obvious choice/favourite/selection
a(n) excellent/good/popular/fine choice/selection

Example Bank:
•She had her pick of the single men.
•Which do you want? Take your pick.
•Red or green? Take your pick.
•She had her pick of the young single men at the party.