pick up

Explore definitions, synonyms, and language insights of pick up

Definitions

Verb
take and lift upward
Verb
take up by hand; "He picked up the book and started to read"
Verb
give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift; "We picked up a hitchhiker on the highway"
Verb
gather or collect; "You can get the results on Monday"; "She picked up the children at the day care center"; "They pick up our trash twice a week"
Verb
get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally; "I learned that she has two grown-up children"; "I see that you have been promoted"
Verb
get in addition, as an increase; "The candidate picked up thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home"
Verb
take into custody; "the police nabbed the suspected criminals"
Verb
buy casually or spontaneously; "I picked up some food for a snack"
Verb
register (perceptual input); "pick up a signal"
Verb
lift out or reflect from a background; "The scarf picks up the color of the skirt"; "His eyes picked up his smile"
Verb
meet someone for sexual purposes; "he always tries to pick up girls in bars"
Verb
fill with high spirits; fill with optimism; "Music can uplift your spirits"
Verb
improve significantly; go from bad to good; "Her performance in school picked up"
Verb
perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily; "I caught the aroma of coffee"; "He caught the allusion in her glance"; "ears open to catch every sound"; "The dog picked up the scent"; "Catch a glimpse"
Verb
eat by pecking at, like a bird
Verb
gain or regain energy; "I picked up after a nap"