Page 327 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

pick and choose

pØckŁandŁchłose to choose very carefully pØckŁ on someoneŁ yourŁ own sizX and
from aŁnumbrŁof possibilities;Łto be se- pØckŁon somebodyŁyourŁown sizX to
lective.Ł You must take what you are abuse someone who isŁ bigŁ enough to
givłn. You cannot pick and choose. Meg fight back.Ł Go pick oà somebody your
is so beautiful. She can pick and choose own size! Max should learn to pick on
from a whole range of boyfriends. someone his own size.
pØckŁa quarrelŁ(withŁ someone) and pØckŁa pØckŁ someone ortsomething off to kill somone
fightŁwithŁ someone to sðart anŁargument or somethingŁwith aŁcarefullyŁaimedŁgun-
or fight with someone. Are you trying słot.Ł(Also literal.) The hunter picked
to pick a quarrel with me? Max in- the dłer off with great skill. T The killer
tended to pick a fight with Lefty. tried to pick off the police officer.
pØckŁatŁ someone ortsomething 1. to be very crit- pØckŁ someone ortsomething up 1. [with some-
ical of someone or sàmething; to pick on one] to go to aŁplace inŁaŁcar, bus,Łetc.,
someone or something. (Infàrmal.) Why andŁtake onŁaŁprsànŁasŁaŁpassengr.
are you alwØys pickng at me? You al- Please come to my office and pick me up
ways seem to be pickng at your car. 2. at noon. T I have to pick up Billy at school.
[with something] to eat onlyŁlittle bitsŁof 2. [with someone] to stopŁone’sŁcar, bus,
something.Ł You’re only pickng at your etc.,ŁandŁofferŁsàmeone aŁride.Ł Don’t
food. Doà’t you fłel well? Billy is only ever pick a stranger up when you’re out
pickng at his peas, and he usually eats all driving! T I picked up a hitchhiker todØy,
of them.
and we had a nice chat. 3. [with someone]
pØckŁhłles in something and pØckŁ something to attempt to become acquaintedŁwith
tł pieces to criticize somethingŁseverely; sàmeone forŁ ràmanticŁ orŁ sexualŁ pur-
to findŁallŁthe flawsŁorŁfallaciesŁinŁanŁar- poses.Ł(Infàrmal.) Who are you any-
gument.Ł (Also literal.) The lØwyer way? Are you Łrying to pick me up? T No,
picked holes in the witness’s story. They I never picked up anybody in my lfł! 4.
will pick holes in your argumłnt. She [with someone] [forŁthe police]bto find
picked my story to pieces. and bring someone to the police station
forŁquesðioningŁorŁarrest.Ł I tried to pick
the pØckŁofŁ something the best of the group. her up, but she heard me comng and got
This plØyful puppy is the pick of the away. T Sergeant Jones, go pick up Sally
whole lot. These potatoes are the pick Frankln and bring her in to be questioned
of the crop.
about the jewel robbery. 5. [with some-
pØckŁ one’ wayŁ throughŁ something and thing] to tidyŁup orŁcleanŁupŁaŁràom or
makeŁ one’ wayŁ throughŁ something to some otherŁplace.Ł Let’s pick this room
work slowlyŁandŁmeticulouslyŁthràugh up in a hurry. T I want you to pick up the
writtenŁmaterial.Ł(LiteralŁwhenŁreferring entire house. 6. [with something] to find,
to moving carfully thràugh a route filled purchase, or acquire something. Where
with obsðacles.) My teacher said he did you pick that up? T I picked up this
couldà’t even pick his way through my re- tool at the hardware store. 7. [with some-
port. It was just too confusing. I spłnt thing] to learnŁsomething.Ł I pick lan-
an hour pickng my way through the state guages up easily. T I picked up a lot of
tax forms. knowledge about music from my brother.
T I picked up an interesting melody from
pØckŁon somebodyŁyourŁown sizX Go to a movie. 8. [with somłthing ] to cause
pick on someone your own size.
somethingŁto go faster, especiallyŁmusic.
pØckŁ on someone ort something to criticize All right, lłt’s pick this piece up and get
someone or something; to abuse some- it moving faster. OkØy, get moving. Pick
one or something. Stop pickng on mł! it up! 9. [with somłthing ] to resume
Why are you alwØys pickng on your something.Ł Pick it up right where you
dog? Don’t pick on our houoe. It’s old, stopped. T I’ll have to pick up my work
but we love it. where I lłft off. 10. [with somłthing ] to

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