Pick at
2 meanings · select one to explore
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Meaning 1 of 3
Definition
To keep touching or scratching something (like skin or a wound).
Example sentence
Stop picking at your scab.
Real video usage
Three clips showing this meaning in natural speech.
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Common collocations
Natural word pairings to memorize.
- pick at your skin
- pick at a scab
- pick at a wound
- pick at his fingernails
- stop picking at it
Separable usage
Can the object split the verb? Compare correct vs incorrect.
He keeps picking at the scab. ✅ (Correct)
He keeps picking the scab at. ❌ (Incorrect)
Meaning 1 of 3
Definition
To eat very slowly or without appetite.
Example sentence
She just picked at her food during dinner.
Real video usage
Three clips showing this meaning in natural speech.
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Don’t see captions? Click the CC button on the video to turn them on.
Don’t see captions? Click the CC button on the video to turn them on.
Common collocations
Natural word pairings to memorize.
pick at your food
pick at dinner
pick at a salad
just picking at his meal
pick at food without eating much
Separable usage
Can the object split the verb? Compare correct vs incorrect.
He picked at the rice. ✅ (Correct)
He picked the rice at. ❌ (Incorrect)