1. Home
2. Idioms
3. pick at

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.

See also: pick

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!

See also: pick

pick at something

to eat food in small pieces and without enjoyment He eats very little, picking at his food with his fork.

See also: pick

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]

See also: pick

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!

See also: pick