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pick to pieces

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pick someone or something to pieces

 

1. Lit. to pull or pinch at someone or something until only pieces are left. The savage birds picked the carcass to pieces. The mice seem to have picked the stuffed doll to pieces.

2. Fig. to criticize someone or something harshly or unduly. You have just picked her to pieces. Leave her alone! The critic picked the play to pieces.

See also: pick, piece

pick/pull somebody/something to pieces

to criticize someone or something very severely, often in a way that is not fair It's discouraging because every time I show him a bit of work I've done he picks it to pieces.

See pick up the pieces, be shot to hell

See also: pick, piece

pick (someone) to pieces

To criticize sharply.

See also: pick, piece