English dictionary



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English verb: pick up

1. pick up (motion) take and lift upward


Synonymsgather up, lift up


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody.
Something ----s somebody.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)bring up, elevate, get up, lift, raise

2. pick up (contact) take up by hand


SamplesHe picked up the book and started to read.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)touch

3. pick up (motion) give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift


SamplesWe picked up a hitchhiker on the highway.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)transport

4. pick up (possession) gather or collect


SamplesYou can get the results on Monday.
She picked up the children at the day care center.
They pick up our trash twice a week.


Synonymscall for, collect, gather up


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)acquire, get

5. pick up (cognition) get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally


SamplesI learned that she has two grown-up children.
I see that you have been promoted.


Synonymsdiscover, find out, get a line, get wind, get word, hear, learn, see


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Narrower (hyponym)ascertain, catch, discover, find, get the goods, trip up, wise up


Verb groupfind, see, witness

6. pick up (possession) get in addition, as an increase


SamplesThe candidate picked up thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)acquire, get

7. pick up (contact) take into custody


SamplesThe police nabbed the suspected criminals.


Synonymsapprehend, arrest, collar, cop, nab, nail


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)clutch, prehend, seize

8. pick up (possession) buy casually or spontaneously


SamplesI picked up some food for a snack.


ExamplesThe men pick up the chairs


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)buy, purchase


Domain categorycommerce, commercialism, mercantilism

9. pick up (perception) register (perceptual input)


SamplesPick up a signal.


ExamplesThey pick up the information to them


Synonymsreceive


Pattern of useSomething ----s something


Broader (hypernym)comprehend, perceive


Narrower (hyponym)hear

10. pick up (change) lift out or reflect from a background


SamplesThe scarf picks up the color of the skirt.
His eyes picked up his smile.


Pattern of useSomething ----s something


Broader (hypernym)bring out, set off

11. pick up (social) meet someone for sexual purposes


SamplesHe always tries to pick up girls in bars.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)get together, meet

12. pick up (emotion) fill with high spirits; fill with optimism


SamplesMusic can uplift your spirits.


Synonymselate, intoxicate, lift up, uplift


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody.
Something ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)excite, shake, shake up, stimulate, stir


Narrower (hyponym)beatify, beatify, exalt, exhilarate, inebriate, puff, thrill, tickle pink


Causejoy, rejoice


Antonymscast down, deject, depress, dismay, dispirit, demoralise, demoralize, get down

13. pick up (change) improve significantly; go from bad to good


SamplesHer performance in school picked up.


Synonymsturn around


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s


Broader (hypernym)ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate

14. pick up (perception) perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily


SamplesI 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.


Synonymscatch


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)comprehend, perceive

15. pick up (consumption) eat by pecking at, like a bird


Synonymspeck


Pattern of useSomething ----s something


Broader (hypernym)eat

16. pick up (body) gain or regain energy


SamplesI picked up after a nap.


Synonymsgain vigor, percolate, perk, perk up


Pattern of useSomebody ----s


Broader (hypernym)convalesce, recover, recuperate









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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