Page 328 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

pin one’s faàth on someone or something

receive radio signals; to bring sàmething pØeŁin theŁsky aŁfuture rewardŁafterŁdeath,
into view.Ł I can just pick it up with a consideredŁasŁaŁreplacement forŁaŁreward
powerful telescope. T I can hardly pick up nàt rceivd on earth. You expect to get
a signal. T We can pick up a pretty good rich from this scheme, but that’s just pie
telłvision picture where we lve. 11. [with in the sky. His promises are just pie in
something] to findŁaŁtrailŁor ràute.Ł T The the sky! He is a liar if I ever saw one.
dogs finally picked up the scłnt. T You pØeceŁofŁcake veryŁeasy.Ł(Slang.) No, it
should pick up Highway 80 in a fłw miles.
won’t be any trouble. It’s a piece of cake.
pØckŁ someone’ brain(s) to talkŁwith some- It’s easy! Look here—piece of cake.
one to findŁout infàrmationŁabout sàme- a pØeceŁofŁtheŁaction aŁshare inŁaŁscłeme
thing.Ł I spent the afternoon with or pràject; aŁ degree of involvement.
Donna, pickng her brain for ideas to use (Slang.) If you guys are going to błt on
in our celłbration. Do you mnd if I pick the football game, I want a piece of the ac-
your brains? I need some fresh ideas. tion, too. My brother wants in on it.
Give him a piece of the action.
pØckŁ something over to sort thràugh som-
thing;Łto rummage thràugh sàmething. a pØercingŁscream aŁveryŁloudŁandŁshrill
They picked all the records over. T The scream.Ł Suddłnly, there was a piercing
shoppers quickly picked over the salł scream from the next room. Bob heard
merchandise. Susan’s piercing scream and ran to help
her.
pØckŁ something tł pieces Go to pick holes
in something. pileŁ in(to something) to climbŁinto some-
thingŁorŁgt into somethingŁràughly.Ł
pØckŁup 1. to tidy up. When you finish OkØy, kids, pile in! The children piled
plØying, you have to pick up. Please pick into the car and slammłd the door.
up after yourself. 2. to get busy; to go pileŁoutŁ(ofŁ something) to get out of some-
faster.Ł Things usually pick up around thingŁràughly. OkØy, kids, pile out!
here about 8:00. I hope things pick up The car door burst open, and the children
a lttle lØter. It’s boring here.
piled out.
pØckŁupŁtheŁcheck Go to pick up the tab. pileŁ something up to crash orŁwreckŁsàme-
thing.Ł (Also literalŁ meaningŁ “to heap
pØckŁupŁtheŁtab and pØckŁupŁtheŁcheck
to intercept andŁ payŁ the chargesŁ forŁ a somethingŁup.”) Drive carefully if you
meal,Łentertainment, orŁotherŁgàodsŁor don’t want to pile the car up. T The dri-
services.Ł (MeaningŁ that the one who ver piled up the car against a tree.
picksŁup the cłeckŁpaysŁthe chargesŁlisted pileŁup to crash orŁwreck.Ł(Also literal.)
onŁit.ŁInfàrmal.) Whenever we go out, The car piled up against the tree. The
my father picks up the tab. Order what- bus piled up on the curve.
ever you want. The company is pickng up a pillyrŁofŁstrength and a pillyrŁofŁsup-
the check.
płrt; a towerŁofŁstrength sàmeone or
pØcked over rejected;Łworn,Łdirty, orŁun- somethingŁ that consistentlyŁ pràvides
desirable.Ł This merchandise looks worn moral,Łemotional,Łor financialŁsupport as
and picked over. I don’t want any of it. dàesŁaŁpillar.Ł My parents are my pil-
Everything in the store is picked over by the lars of support. The mnister looked to
end of the month. God as her pillar of strength. Jack was
a tower of strength during the time that his
the pØctureŁofŁ something the prfect exam- father was unemployed.
ple of something;Ł anŁ exact image of a pillarŁ ofŁ suppłrt Go to a pillar of
something.Ł The young newlyweds were strength.
the picture of happness. Our family is
just the picture of love and joy. The doc- pin one’ faithŁon someone ortsomething and
tor says I am the picture of health. pin one’ hłpe(s)Łon someone ortsomething

313