As high as I could pick my lance. --Shak.
2. 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.
3. To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points;
as, to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc.
4. To open (a lock) as by a wire.
5. To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to
pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the
stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc.
6. To remove something from with a pointed instrument, with
the fingers, or with the teeth; as, to pick the teeth; to
pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket.
Did you pick Master Slender's purse? --Shak.
He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems With an
old tavern quill, is hungry yet. --Cowper.
7. To choose; to select; to separate as choice or desirable;
to cull; as, to pick one's company; to pick one's way; --
often with out. ``One man picked out of ten thousand.''
--Shak.
8. To take up; esp., to gather from here and there; to
collect; to bring together; as, to pick rags; -- often
with up; as, to pick up a ball or stones; to pick up
information.
{To pick at}, to tease or vex by pertinacious annoyance.
{To pick a bone with}. See under {Bone}.
{To pick a thank}, to curry favor. [Obs.] --Robynson (More's
Utopia).
{To pick off}.
(a) To pluck; to remove by picking.
(b) To shoot or bring down, one by one; as, sharpshooters
pick off the enemy.
{To pick out}.
(a) To mark out; to variegate; as, to pick out any dark
stuff with lines or spots of bright colors.
(b) To select from a number or quantity.
{To pick to pieces}, to pull apart piece by piece; hence
[Colloq.], to analyze; esp., to criticize in detail.
{To pick a quarrel}, to give occasion of quarrel
intentionally.
{To pick up}.
(a) To take up, as with the fingers.
(b) To get by repeated efforts; to gather here and there;
as, to pick up a livelihood; to pick up news.
2. The act of choosing, plucking, or gathering.
3. That which is, or may be, picked or gleaned.
4. Pilfering; also, that which is pilfered.
5. pl. The pulverized shells of oysters used in making walks.
[Eng.] --Simmonds.
6. (Mining) Rough sorting of ore.
7. Overburned bricks. --Simmonds.
was too warm on picking work to dwell. --Dryden.
{Picking peg}. (Weaving) See {Picker}, n., 3.