Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Pick \Pick\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Picked}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Picking}.] [OE. picken, pikken, to prick, peck; akin to
   Icel. pikka, Sw. picka, Dan. pikke, D. pikken, G. picken, F.
   piquer, W. pigo. Cf. {Peck}, v., {Pike}, {Pitch} to throw.]
   1. To throw; to pitch. [Obs.]

            As high as I could pick my lance.     --Shak.

   2. To peck at, as a bird with its beak; to strike at with
      anything pointed; to act upon with a pointed instrument;
      to pierce; to prick, as with a pin.

   3. To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points;
      as, to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc.

   4. To open (a lock) as by a wire.

   5. To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to
      pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the
      stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc.

   6. To remove something from with a pointed instrument, with
      the fingers, or with the teeth; as, to pick the teeth; to
      pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket.

            Did you pick Master Slender's purse?  --Shak.

            He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems With an
            old tavern quill, is hungry yet.      --Cowper.

   7. To choose; to select; to separate as choice or desirable;
      to cull; as, to pick one's company; to pick one's way; --
      often with out. ``One man picked out of ten thousand.''
      --Shak.

   8. To take up; esp., to gather from here and there; to
      collect; to bring together; as, to pick rags; -- often
      with up; as, to pick up a ball or stones; to pick up
      information.

   9. To trim. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

   {To pick at}, to tease or vex by pertinacious annoyance.

   {To pick a bone with}. See under {Bone}.

   {To pick a thank}, to curry favor. [Obs.] --Robynson (More's
      Utopia).

   {To pick off}.
      (a) To pluck; to remove by picking.
      (b) To shoot or bring down, one by one; as, sharpshooters
          pick off the enemy.

   {To pick out}.
      (a) To mark out; to variegate; as, to pick out any dark
          stuff with lines or spots of bright colors.
      (b) To select from a number or quantity.

   {To pick to pieces}, to pull apart piece by piece; hence
      [Colloq.], to analyze; esp., to criticize in detail.

   {To pick a quarrel}, to give occasion of quarrel
      intentionally.

   {To pick up}.
      (a) To take up, as with the fingers.
      (b) To get by repeated efforts; to gather here and there;
          as, to pick up a livelihood; to pick up news.