pick up Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. verb take and lift upward
   gather up; lift up.
   
2. verb take up by hand
   
   • He picked up the book and started to read
3. verb give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift
   
   • We picked up a hitchhiker on the highway
4. verb gather or collect
   call for; collect; gather up.
   
   • You can get the results on Monday
   • She picked up the children at the day care center
   • They pick up our trash twice a week
5. verb get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
   get a line; discover; see; hear; learn; find out; get wind; get word.
   
   • I learned that she has two grown-up children
   • I see that you have been promoted
6. verb get in addition, as an increase
   
   • The candidate picked up thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home
7. verb take into custody
   nab; cop; apprehend; nail; arrest; collar.
   
   • the police nabbed the suspected criminals
8. verb buy casually or spontaneously
   
   • I picked up some food for a snack
9. verb register (perceptual input)
   receive.
   
   • pick up a signal
10. verb lift out or reflect from a background
    
    • The scarf picks up the color of the skirt
    • His eyes picked up his smile
11. verb meet someone for sexual purposes
    
    • he always tries to pick up girls in bars
12. verb fill with high spirits; fill with optimism
    intoxicate; uplift; elate; lift up.
    
    • Music can uplift your spirits
13. verb improve significantly; go from bad to good
    turn around.
    
    • Her performance in school picked up
14. verb perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily
    catch.
    
    • I 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
15. verb eat by pecking at, like a bird
    peck.
    
16. verb gain or regain energy
    perk; perk up; gain vigor; percolate.
    
    • I picked up after a nap

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