picked

Pick \Pick\ (p[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Picked} (p[i^]kt); p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Picking}.] [OE. picken, pikken, to prick, peck;
   akin to Icel. pikka, Sw. picka, Dan. pikke, D. pikken, G.
   picken, F. piquer, W. pigo. Cf. {Peck}, v., {Pike}, {Pitch}
   to throw.]
   1. To throw; to pitch. [Obs.]
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            As high as I could pick my lance.     --Shak.
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   2. To peck at, as a bird with its beak; to strike at with
      anything pointed; to act upon with a pointed instrument;
      to pierce; to prick, as with a pin.
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   3. To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points;
      as, to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc.
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   4. To open (a lock) as by a wire.
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   5. To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to
      pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the
      stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc.
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   6. To remove something from with a pointed instrument, with
      the fingers, or with the teeth; as, to pick the teeth; to
      pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket.
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            Did you pick Master Slender's purse?  --Shak.
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            He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems
            With an old tavern quill, is hungry yet. --Cowper.
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   7. To choose; to select; to separate as choice or desirable;
      to cull; as, to pick one's company; to pick one's way; --
      often with out. "One man picked out of ten thousand."
      --Shak.
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   8. To take up; esp., to gather from here and there; to
      collect; to bring together; as, to pick rags; -- often
      with up; as, to pick up a ball or stones; to pick up
      information.
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   9. To trim. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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   {To pick at}, to tease or vex by pertinacious annoyance.

   {To pick a bone with}. See under {Bone}.

   {To pick a thank}, to curry favor. [Obs.] --Robynson (More's
      Utopia).

   {To pick off}.
      (a) To pluck; to remove by picking.
      (b) To shoot or bring down, one by one; as, sharpshooters
          pick off the enemy.

   {To pick out}.
      (a) To mark out; to variegate; as, to pick out any dark
          stuff with lines or spots of bright colors.
      (b) To select from a number or quantity.

   {To pick to pieces}, to pull apart piece by piece; hence
      [Colloq.], to analyze; esp., to criticize in detail.

   {To pick a quarrel}, to give occasion of quarrel
      intentionally.

   {To pick up}.
      (a) To take up, as with the fingers.
      (b) To get by repeated efforts; to gather here and there;
          as, to pick up a livelihood; to pick up news.
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Picked \Pick"ed\, a.
   1. Pointed; sharp. "Picked and polished." --Chapman.
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            Let the stake be made picked at the top. --Mortimer.
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   2. (Zool.) Having a pike or spine on the back; -- said of
      certain fishes.
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   3. Carefully selected; chosen; as, picked men.
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   4. Fine; spruce; smart; precise; dianty. [Obs.] --Shak.
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   {Picked dogfish}. (Zool.) See under {Dogfish}.

   {Picked out}, ornamented or relieved with lines, or the like,
      of a different, usually a lighter, color; as, a carriage
      body dark green, picked out with red.
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43 Moby Thesaurus words for "picked":
      accepted, adopted, appointed, approved, best, carried, champion,
      choice, chosen, designated, elect, elected, elected by acclamation,
      elite, embraced, espoused, exclusive, for the best, greatest,
      handpicked, matchless, named, nominated, optimal, optimum,
      paramount, passed, peerless, pick, prime, prize, quintessential,
      ratified, select, selected, supreme, surpassing,
      unanimously elected, unmatchable, unmatched, unparalleled,
      unsurpassed, very best