Meaning: barred pickerel

n.
small but gamy pickerel of Atlantic coastal states

pick Idiom, Proverb

a bone to pick

something to argue about, a matter to discuss "Joe sounded angry when he said, ""I have a bone to pick with you."""

a pick-me-up

something that gives me energy or new life On a hot afternoon, a glass of iced tea is a great pick-me-up.

bone to pick

(See a bone to pick with you)

cherrypicker (hockey)

a player who waits at center ice for a pass Our coach told us about the cherrypicker on the other team.

cotton-picking

thieving, doggone, flipping, ruddy Get your cotton-pickin' fingers off that bike! Don't touch it!

easy pickings

an easy task or job, a piece of cake It was a multiple-choice test - easy pickings if you studied.

in a pickle

in a difficult situation, in a jam When the motor on our boat quit, I knew we were in a pickle.

nitpick

find unfinished details or small errors Deborah can find the errors. She likes to nitpick.

pick a fight

start a fight, begin an argument If Jamie tries to pick a fight with you, just walk away.

pick a quarrel

start a quarrel with someone on purpose I don

pick holes in

criticize, look for errors or faults, nitpick Grant won't show you his work because you pick holes in it.

pick-me-up

(See a pick-me-up)

pick on

criticize, tease, get on my case Why is everybody picking on me? I feel like a victim.

pick out

choose or select I tried to pick out a suitable necktie for my father.

pick someone

extract ideas or information from someone for one

pick the brains of

get ideas or information about something by asking an expert We picked the brains of the official who was sent to talk about the pollution problem.

pick up

learn, understand, catch on We pick up the street idioms faster than the grammar, eh.

pick up a trail/scent

recognize the trail of a hunted person or animal The tracking dogs were able to pick up the trail of the criminal easily.

pick up speed

increase the speed of The car picked up speed as it began to go down the hill.

pick up the pace

go a little faster, step on it We're walking rather slowly. Can we pick up the pace?

pick up the pieces

put together again, mend After her husband died, she tried to pick up the pieces of her life.

pick up the tab

pay the bill, pay the shot Who picked up the tab for the hotel rooms? Who paid?

pick you up

make you feel better, make you happy or natural high Here, have a cup of tea. That will pick you up.

pick your brains

learn what you know, ask you questions Maria wants to pick your brains about Freud and Jung.

pick yourself up

do not quit, persevere, roll with the punches Don't let a failure stop you. Pick yourself up and try again.

picky

fussy, looking for the perfect one Don't be so picky, Dennis. Just choose a candy and eat it.

piss in the pickles

ruin a project, wreck a piece of work Plans for a school were OK until the Premier pissed in the pickles.

take your pick

choose one, say which one you prefer You can have Coke or Pepsi. Take your pick.

pick and choose

select with much care挑三拣四
Some people pick and choose to get something perfect，and some just because they can't make up their minds．有些人挑剔是想得到完美的东西，而有的人只是因为拿不定主意。
You haven't time to pick and choose from among so many pictures．这么多的图片，你是没有时间从中细选的。

pick apart

1．tear into pieces撕成碎片；拆散
As this skirt fits badly，I'll pick it apart and remake it．这条裙子不合身，我要把它拆了重做。
2．criticise harshly；find fault with 猛烈批评；找岔子
He is always picking apart every girl he meets．Naturally ever yone has some faults．他每遇到一个姑娘总爱挑剔，其实每个人都会有缺点的。
After the dance， the girls picked Mary apart．舞会后，女孩们都责备玛丽。

pick at

1．eat without appetite挑食
Stop picking at your food， Janet！
Eat it all up or you won't have any pudding！珍妮，不要挑食！全部吃下去，否则就不给你吃布丁了！
She had no appetite and only picked at food．她食欲不振，只吃了一点点食物。
2．find fault with对…吹毛求疵
They showed their displeasure by continually picking at her．他们不断挑她的毛病以示他们的不满。
She'd been picked at so often by parents and teachers that she didn't know how to behave．家长和老师经常对她吹毛求疵，她简直不知怎么办才好。

pick off

1．take off； remove with the fingers脱下
The insecticide might harm the flowers Let's pick off the insects by hand．杀虫剂可能会伤害花朵。我们还是用手把虫捉下来吧。
Don't pick off any of these flowers．这些花一朵也不要摘。
2．shoot or bring down singly or selectively逐个地或有选择地射中或打下
They picked off the officers first，so as to throw the enemy troops into confusion．他们首先把军官一个个地击毙，使敌军陷入混乱。

pick one's way

advance with care谨慎前进
After nightfall we drove slowly along，picking our way until we found the right building．天黑后，我们驾车慢慢地往前开，直到发现了我们要找的大楼。
The driver picked his way across the rough and rocky hillside．司机小心地越过崎岖的山坡。

pick over

select the best of选出最好的
She picked the apples over and threw out the bad ones．她把好苹果挑出来，把坏的扔掉。
We picked over the cotton seeds before sowing．我们将那些棉籽经过挑选之后才播种。

pick sb's pocket

steal扒窃（某人的东西）
Thieves pick the pockets of unwary people．小偷扒窃粗心大意的人口袋里的东西。
The guy was given a good talkingto when he was found picking a customer's pocket in the shop．那家伙在商店里行窃时被当场发现，挨了一顿训斥。

spick-and-span

Idiom(s): spick-and-span

Theme: CLEANING

very clean. (Informal. Fixed order.)
• I have to clean up the house and get it spick-and-span for the party Friday night.
• I love to have everything around me spick-and-span.

picked over

Idiom(s): picked over

Theme: REJECTION

rejected; worn, dirty, or undesirable.
• This merchandise looks worn and picked over. I don't want any of it.
• Everything in the store is picked over by the end of the month.

pick sth up

Idiom(s): pick sth up

Theme: ACQUISITION

to find, purchase, or acquire something.
• Where did you pick that up?
• I picked up this tool at the hardware store.

pick sth over

Idiom(s): pick sth over

Theme: EXAMINATION

to sort through something; to rummage through something.
• They picked all the records over.
• The shoppers quickly picked over the sale merchandise.

pick one's brains

Idiom(s): pick one's brain(s)

Theme: INQUIRY

to talk with someone to find out information about something.
• I spent the afternoon with Donna, picking her brain for ideas to use in our celebration.
• Do you mind if I pick your brains? I need some fresh ideas.

pick sb up

Idiom(s): pick sb up

Theme: ARREST

[for the police] to find and bring someone to the police station for questioning or arrest.
• I tried to pick her up, but she heard me coming and got away.
• Sergeant Jones, go pick up Sally Franklin and bring her in to be questioned about the jewel robbery.

pick on sb your own size

Idiom(s): pick on sb your own size

Theme: ABUSE

to abuse someone who is big enough to fight back.
• Go pick on somebody your own size!
• Max should learn to pick on someone his own size.

in a pretty pickle

Idiom(s): in a (pretty) pickle

Theme: TROUBLE

in a mess; in trouble.
• John has gotten himself into a pickle. He has two dates for the party.
• Now we are in a pretty pickle. We are out of gas.

have a pick-me-up

Idiom(s): have a pick-me-up

Theme: DRINKING

to eat or drink something stimulating. (The have can be replaced with need, want, etc. The me does not change.)
• I'd like to have a pick-me-up. I think I'll have a bottle of pop.
• You look tired. You need a pick-me-up.

have a bone to pick

Idiom(s): have a bone to pick (with sb)

Theme: ARGUMENT

to have a matter to discuss with someone; to have something to argue about with someone.
• Hey, Bill. I've got a bone to pick with you. Where is the money you owe me?
• I had a bone to pick with her, but she was so sweet that I forgot about it.
• You always have a bone to pick.

pick up the check

Idiom(s): pick up the tab AND pick up the check

Theme: PAYMENT

to pay the bill. (Informal.)
• Whenever we go out, my father picks up the tab.
• Order whatever you want. The company is picking up the check.

pick sth to pieces

Idiom(s): pick holes in something AND pick something to pieces

Theme: CRITICISM

to criticize something severely; to find all the flaws or fallacies in an argument.
• The lawyer picked holes in the witness's story.
• They will pick holes in your argument.
• She picked my story to pieces.

pick out

choose
"I picked out three sweaters for you to try on."

Cherry pick

If people cherry pick, they choose things that support their position, while ignoring things that contradict it.

I've got a bone to pick with you

If somebody says this, they mean that they have some complaint to make against the person they are addressing.

More Idioms/Phrases

Hung the moon Hunky Dory I hereby give notice of my intention I may be daft, but I'm not stupid I should cocoa I'll cross that road when I come to it I'll eat my hat I've got a bone to pick with you I've got your number Idle hands are the devil's handiwork If at first you don't succeed try try again If I had a nickel for every time If it ain't broke, don't fix it If Mohammed won't come to the mountain, the mounta If the cap fits, wear it

pick Idiom, Proverb

a bone to pick

a pick-me-up

bone to pick

cherrypicker (hockey)

cotton-picking

easy pickings

in a pickle

nitpick

pick a fight

pick a quarrel

pick holes in

pick-me-up

pick on

pick out

pick someone

pick the brains of

pick up

pick up a trail/scent

pick up speed

pick up the pace

pick up the pieces

pick up the tab

pick you up

pick your brains

pick yourself up

picky

piss in the pickles

take your pick

pick and choose

pick apart

pick at

pick off

pick one's way

pick over

pick sb's pocket

spick-and-span

picked over

pick sth up

pick sth over

pick one's brains

pick sb up

pick on sb your own size

in a pretty pickle

have a pick-me-up

have a bone to pick

pick up the check

pick sth to pieces

pick out

Cherry pick

I've got a bone to pick with you

More Idioms/Phrases

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