Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pick at

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.07 in modern English

Syllables: pick- at
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To touch, grab, handle, or pull tentatively or gingerly, using a utensil or one's fingers.

Transitive verb

verb

To touch, grab, handle, or pull tentatively or gingerly, using a utensil or one's fingers.

Transitive verb

verb

To pick on or repeatedly criticize (someone).

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"Mr Vholes remained immovable, except that he secretly picked at one of the red pimples on his yellow face with his black glove."
"He began to pick at the fussy fringe on the arm of his chair."
"Picking at a salad in a conference room at Google’s headquarters here, Ms. Mayer says she is vexed by how some perceive her."
""[N]oise and disrespect of no kind ain't pleasin' to him. His own folks behave becomin', but strangers go and act as they like. . . . Then we are picked at for their doin's.""
""And I know she's my aunt, but she needn't pick at me all the time," she added defiantly."
""I get crabby and pick at him about stupid things that wouldn’t normally bother me.""

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

picks at (present, singular) picking at (participle, present) picked at (participle, past) picked at (past)

Synonyms

fiddle with toy with peck at nitpick badger bully find fault pester bait bedevil beleaguer persecute

Questions

What does pick at mean?: To touch, grab, handle, or pull tentatively or gingerly, using a utensil or one's fingers.

How to pronounce pick at

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pick at”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pick at”.
Repeat and practice — Say “pick at” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.