Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Pick up

noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Rare form of pickup. form-of, rare
Verb
  1. 1
    To lift; to grasp and raise. transitive

    "When you pick up the bag, make sure to support the bottom."

  2. 2
    gain or regain energy wordnet
  3. 3
    To collect an object, especially in passing. transitive

    "Can you pick up a pint of milk on your way home?"

  4. 4
    improve significantly; go from bad to good wordnet
  5. 5
    To acquire (something) accidentally; to catch or contract (a disease). transitive

    "I picked up a cold on my trip last week."

Show 35 more definitions
  1. 6
    lift out or reflect from a background wordnet
  2. 7
    To clean up; to return to an organized state. intransitive, transitive

    "Aren't you going to pick up after yourself?"

  3. 8
    get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally wordnet
  4. 9
    To collect a passenger. transitive

    "I'll pick you up outside the library."

  5. 10
    eat by pecking at, like a bird wordnet
  6. 11
    To collect and detain (a suspect). transitive

    "The cops have picked up the man they were looking for."

  7. 12
    take up by hand wordnet
  8. 13
    To obtain and publish a story, news item, etc. transitive

    "The story does not seem to have been widely picked up."

  9. 14
    take into custody wordnet
  10. 15
    To improve, increase, or speed up. intransitive

    "Prices seem to be picking up again."

  11. 16
    fill with high spirits; fill with optimism wordnet
  12. 17
    To restart or resume. intransitive

    "Let's pick up where we left off yesterday."

  13. 18
    give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift wordnet
  14. 19
    To reach and continue along (a road).

    "Miller brought his car from the underground garage and threaded a way through London's traffic to pick up the A5."

  15. 20
    take and lift upward wordnet
  16. 21
    To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand; to realize. transitive

    "It looks complicated, but you'll soon pick it up."

  17. 22
    register (perceptual input) wordnet
  18. 23
    To receive (a radio signal or the like). transitive

    "With the new antenna, I can pick up stations all the way from Omaha."

  19. 24
    perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily wordnet
  20. 25
    To notice, detect or discern; to pick up on. transitive

    "Did you pick up his nervousness?"

  21. 26
    buy casually or spontaneously wordnet
  22. 27
    To point out the behaviour, habits, or actions of (a person) in a critical manner; used with on. transitive

    "She's always picking me up on my grammar."

  23. 28
    gather or collect wordnet
  24. 29
    To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation. intransitive, transitive, with-on

    "He was in the fabric store not to buy fabric but to pick up women."

  25. 30
    get in addition, as an increase wordnet
  26. 31
    To answer a telephone. intransitive, transitive

    "I'm calling him, but he just isn't picking up!"

  27. 32
    meet someone for sexual purposes wordnet
  28. 33
    To receive calls; to function correctly. intransitive

    "I've tried his home number a couple times, but it isn't picking up."

  29. 34
    To pay for. transitive

    "The company will pick up lunch with customers for sales calls."

  30. 35
    To reduce the despondency of. transitive

    "[…]they pick me up when I'm feeling blue"

  31. 36
    To take control (physically) of something. transitive

    "Bolton were then just inches from taking the lead, but the dangerous-looking Taylor drilled just wide after picking up a loose ball following Jose Bosingwa's poor attempted clearance."

  32. 37
    To mark, to defend against an opposition player by following them closely. transitive

    "And soon after, no-one picked up Shotton who was free to power a 12-yard header over from another Pennant corner, before Pennant sent a free kick straight at Cardiff keeper Tom Heaton."

  33. 38
    To record; to notch up. transitive

    "And the home side survived without any late scares to pick up the first win of their Group F campaign."

  34. 39
    To behave in a manner that results in a foul.
  35. 40
    To promote somebody who was previously passed over. US, transitive

    "[…] there are now 98 officers of that rank who have been passed over one or more times, most of whom have little prospect of being picked up by future selection boards but will await only the completion of 21 years' service before going on the retired list."

See also for "pick up"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: pickup