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football club should pick up the bill/tab for the damage, since their fans are responsible for it. 12 [T[pick sthg. ⇔ up]] to cause to increase: We picked up speed as we went downhill. 13 [I] to improve; return to a former good state: Trade is picking up again. 14 [I,T (pick sbdy. ⇔ up)] to (cause to) improve in health: This tonic should pick you up. → see also PICK-ME-UP, PICK-UP
pick up on sthg. phr v [T] 1 to be sensitive to: I was trying to indicate I didn't want to go, but they didn't pick up on it. 2 to notice: Did you pick up on those things that were crawling in her hair? 3 to call attention to or begin speaking about (something already mentioned): Now I'd like to pick up on your objections to funding the project through the summer.
pick² n 1 [U] choice: Which one do you want – take your pick! (=choose whichever one you want) | She could have had her pick of all the eligible young men. 2 [the S+of] the best (of many): It's the pick of this month's new films. | It's not much good, but it's the pick of the bunch.
pick³ n 1 (usually in comb.) a sharp-pointed usually small instrument → see also ICE PICK, TOOTHPICK 2 infml a pickaxe 3 AmE or infml for PLECTRUM
,pick-and-'mix adj BrE allowing you to choose the things or parts that you want and not choose the rest: Students can select parts of the course on a pick-and-mix basis.
pick·axe BrE || pickax AmE /'pɪk-æks/ also pick infml — n a large tool with a wooden handle fitted into a curved iron bar with two sharp points, used for breaking up roads, rock etc → see picture at AXE
picked /pɪkt/ adj [A] often apprec chosen as very suitable for a special purpose: The assault group consisted of six picked men. → see also HANDPICKED
pick·er /'pɪkər/ n (usually in comb.) a person or instrument that picks things, especially crops: The cotton pickers want more money.
pick·et¹ /'pɪkɪt/ n 1 someone placed, especially by a trade union, at the entrance to a factory, shop etc, to prevent anyone, especially other workers, from going in until a quarrel with the employers is over. The number of pickets allowed in one place is limited by law in Britain: The pickets persuaded the truck driver not to enter the factory. → see also FLYING PICKET 2 [+sing./pl. v] a group or line of pickets: The union placed a large picket at the factory gates. | Don't cross the picket line! | There were over a hundred men on the picket line this morning. 3 a soldier with the special job of guarding a camp: on picket duty 4 [+sing./pl. v] a small group of such soldiers 5 [often pl.] a strong pointed stick fixed into the ground, especially used with others to make a fence (picket fence)
picket² v 1 [T] to surround as PICKETS and stop the work or activity of: The men picketed the factory/picketed all the people who wanted to go inside to work. 2 [I] to act as a picket: picketing miners 3 [T+obj+adv/prep] to place (soldiers) in position as PICKETS
Pick·fords /'pɪkfːdz||-fərdz/ trademark a British company that moves furniture and other possessions for people who are moving to a new home, either in the UK or abroad
pick·ings /'pɪkɪŋz/ n [P] infml additional money or profits taken dishonestly or regarded as a right: There are some easy/rich pickings to be made in this job.
pick·le¹ /'pɪkəl/ n 1 [U] a liquid, especially VINEGAR or salt water, used to preserve vegetables or sometimes meat 2 [U] especially BrE a substance eaten with food, especially cold food, consisting of pieces of vegetable preserved in this: sweet pickle (=with added sugar) | cheese and pickle sandwiches 3 [C] AmE a vegetable, especially a CUCUMBER, preserved in this 4 [S] infml a difficult or confused condition; MESS: You are in a (pretty) pickle, aren't you! Let me help you out. 5 [C] BrE infml a child who playfully does bad but not very harmful things
pickle² v [T] to preserve (food) in pickle: pickled onions
pick·led /'pɪkəld/ adj [F] infml drunk
'pick-me-,up n infml something, especially a drink or medicine, that makes one feel stronger and more cheerful → see also PICK UP
pick·pock·et /'pɪk,pɒkɪt||-pɑːk-/ n a person who steals things from people's pockets, especially in a crowd
'pick-up n 1 the part of a record player, especially the needle and arm, which receives and plays the sound from a record 2 also 'pick-up ,truck — a light VAN having an open body with low sides → see picture at VAN. 3 infml a person, especially a woman, who is picked up (PICK UP (8)) 4 [U] AmE rate of increasing speed; ACCELERATION: a car with good pick-up
'pick-up ,game n AmE a game of BASKETBALL, baseball, etc that is played by anyone who wants to play when the game is starting
Pick·wick, Mr /'pɪkwɪk/ the main character in the book The Pickwick Papers by Charles DICKENS. Pickwick is kind, cheerful and not easily made angry, and always has a good opinion of other people. He is sometimes thought of as a typical Victorian English GENTLEMAN.
,Pickwick 'Papers, The (1836–37) a book by Charles DICKENS about the adventures of the members of the Pickwick Club, who include Mr PICKWICK
pick·y /'pɪki/ adj derog, especially AmE for CHOOSY: She's such a picky eater. —iness n [U]
pic·nic¹ /'pɪknɪk/ n 1 [C] a) an occasion when food, usually cold food, is taken to be eaten somewhere outdoors, especially in the country: They went on/for a picnic. | a picnic lunch b) BrE the food taken: What a delicious picnic! 2 [S usually in negatives] infml something especially easy or pleasant to do: It's no picnic having to look after six small children all day, you know!
picnic² v -ck- [I] to go on or have a picnic —ker n
'picnic ,area n an area near a road, with space to park cars, and tables where motorists can sit and have picnics
'picnic ,basket also 'picnic ,hamper n a strong basket used to carry food etc for a picnic, especially one that contains its own special plates, cups, knives etc
'picnic ,table n a table used to have a picnic on, especially one built near a road in the country and used by motorists
Pict /pɪkt/ n 1 the Picts a group of people who lived in north and central Scotland from the 3rd to the 9th century, and who often fought against the English 2 [C] a member of this group —Pictish adj
pic·to·ri·al /pɪk'tɔːriəl/ adj having, or expressed in PICTURES: pictorial magazines | a pictorial record of the event —ly adv
pic·ture¹ /'pɪktʃər/ n 1 [C(of)] a painting or drawing: Draw a picture of that tree/those children. | She painted a picture of the church. | Where shall I hang this picture? | You look as pretty as a picture (=very pretty) in that dress. → compare PORTRAIT 2 [C(of)] a photograph: He took her picture/took a picture of her. 3 [C usually sing.] what is seen on a television or cinema SCREEN: You can't get a clear picture on this TV set. 4 [C] especially BrE a cinema film → see also PICTURES 5 [C(of) usually sing.] an image in the mind, especially an exact one produced by a skilful description: This book gives a vivid picture of life in England 200 years ago. | He painted a grim picture of the company's financial problems. 6 [S] a situation: The present political picture gives much cause for anxiety. | We'll fool him; you come in five minutes after me — get the picture? (=do you understand?) 7 [the S+of] the perfect example: That baby is the picture of health. (=looks very healthy) 8 [S] a person or thing that is beautiful or unusual to look at: This garden is a picture in the summer. | His face was a picture when we told him! 9 in/out of the picture infml a) in/not in the position of knowing all the facts: I haven't heard about the latest developments; perhaps you could put me in the picture. b) receiving/not receiving one's share of attention: She always wants to be in the picture. 10 picture in the attic in the book The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar WILDE, a way of talking about the picture in the title → see PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY 11 the big picture a situation considered as a whole, rather than its details: They got so caught up in technical details that they lost sight of the big picture.
picture² v [T] 1 to imagine: Just picture the scene -- it must have been a terrible experience. | I can't quite picture myself as a father. | [+wh-] Can't you picture how she must feel? 2 [+obj+adv/prep] to paint or draw; make a picture of: The artist has pictured him as a young man in riding dress. → compare DEPICT