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pick at
pick at someone or something
to be very critical of someone or something; to pick on someone or something. Why are you always picking at me? The critics picked at the little things, missing the serious problems.
pick at something
1. Lit. to try to pull away bits of something. Don't pick at the bookbinding. It will fall apart.
2. Fig. to eat just a tiny bit of a meal or some kind of food. You are just picking at your food!
pick at something
to eat food in small pieces and without enjoyment He eats very little, picking at his food with his fork.
pick at
1. Pluck or pull at, especially with the fingers, as in She was always picking at her skirt with her nails. [1600s]
2. Eat sparingly and without appetite, as in He was just picking at his dinner. [Late 1500s]
3. Nag, badger, as in He's picking at me all day long. [Colloquial; second half of 1600s]
pick at
v.1. To pluck or pull at something, especially with the fingers or with a pick: The musician picked at the guitar strings. The farmer picked at the bugs in the sheep's wool.
2. To eat something sparingly or without appetite: The child picked at the vegetables but ate all of the hamburger.
3. To nag someone: Don't pick at me—I'm doing the best I can!
Common Names:
| Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
|---|
| Dionysodoros | | - | Ancient Greek |
| Araceli | | ah-rah-THE-lee (Spanish), ah-rah-SE-lee (Latin American Spanish) | Spanish |
| Elpidius | | - | Late Greek (Latinized) |
| Tiffiny | | TIF-ə-nee | English (Rare) |
| Alaois | | AL-eesh | Irish |
| Simonu | | - | Old Church Slavic |