Word: pick up Part of Speech: verb 1. To lift; to grasp and raise. Labels: transitive Example: When you pick up the bag, make sure to support the bottom. Example: Evidently some, or all, of the boars immolated themselves, for the train crew are reported to have picked up three dead boars and continued to Sézanne, the next stop, where they gave them to the local hospital cooks. 2. To collect or purchase an object, especially in passing. Labels: transitive Example: Can you pick up a pint of milk on your way home? Example: "I don't want to spoil any comparison you are going to make," said Jim, "but I was at Winchester and New College." ¶ "That will do," said Mackenzie. "I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by—except steal.[…]" 3. To acquire (something) accidentally; to catch or contract (a disease). Labels: transitive Example: I picked up a cold on my trip last week. Example: Cars often pick up bits of road tar and asphalt, dried bugs, tree sap, or other debris that’s hard to remove with regular car wash soap. 4. To clean up; to return to an organized state. Labels: intransitive, transitive Example: You made a mess, aren't you going to pick up after yourself? Example: The floor was strewn with bright snips of origami paper, a crumpled drawing, and one dirty sock, which Amy now shoved under the bed with her foot. ¶ "You're lucky," said Marla. "My mother makes me pick up my room every single day." 5. To collect a passenger. Labels: transitive Example: I'll pick you up outside the library. Example: After picking up a few passengers (most likely heading into Exeter for shopping) and setting a few off (for a day at the beach), we get the 'right away' and continue along the sea wall with its iconic sandstone cliffs on the left. 6. To collect and detain (a suspect). Labels: transitive Example: The cops have picked up the man they were looking for. 7. To obtain and publish a story, news item, etc. Labels: transitive Example: The story does not seem to have been widely picked up. Example: News of this notice from the university was picked up by local media and had the effect of raising the ire of some citizens who saw this as an attack on ‘Chinese heritage’[.] 8. To improve, increase, or speed up. Labels: intransitive Example: Prices seem to be picking up again. Example: I was in bed sick this morning, but I'm picking up now. 9. To restart or resume. Labels: intransitive Example: Let's pick up where we left off yesterday. Example: The plot picks up where the last film left off. The High Table, the organisation that controls crime around the world, has a multi-million-dollar contract out on Wick, who killed a High Table member. 10. To reach and continue along (a road). Example: Walter decided the best route home was to pick up the A5. Example: Miller brought his car from the underground garage and threaded a way through London's traffic to pick up the A5. 11. To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand; to realize. Labels: transitive Example: It looks complicated, but you'll soon pick it up. 12. To receive (a radio signal or the like). Labels: transitive Example: With the new antenna, I can pick up stations all the way from Omaha. 13. To notice, detect or discern; to pick up on. Labels: transitive Example: Did you pick up his nervousness? 14. To point out the behaviour, habits, or actions of (a person) in a critical manner; used with on. Labels: transitive Example: She's always picking me up on my grammar. 15. To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation. Labels: intransitive, transitive, with-on Example: He was in the fabric store not to buy fabric but to pick up women. Example: I'll tell you what. You lay off my clients, I'll give you a few pointers picking up women, okay? 16. To answer a telephone. Labels: intransitive, transitive Example: I'm calling him, but he just isn't picking up! 17. To receive calls; to function correctly. Labels: intransitive Example: I've tried his home number a couple times, but it isn't picking up. 18. To pay for. Labels: transitive Example: The company will pick up lunch with customers for sales calls. 19. To reduce the despondency of. Labels: transitive Example: […]they pick me up when I'm feeling blue 20. To take control (physically) of something. Labels: transitive Example: Bolton were then just inches from taking the lead, but the dangerous-looking Taylor drilled just wide after picking up a loose ball following Jose Bosingwa's poor attempted clearance. 21. To mark, to defend against an opposition player by following them closely. Labels: transitive Example: And soon after, no-one picked up Shotton who was free to power a 12-yard header over from another Pennant corner, before Pennant sent a free kick straight at Cardiff keeper Tom Heaton. 22. To record; to notch up. Labels: transitive Example: And the home side survived without any late scares to pick up the first win of their Group F campaign. 23. To behave in a manner that results in a foul. 24. To promote somebody who was previously passed over. Labels: US, transitive Example: […] there are now 98 officers of that rank who have been passed over one or more times, most of whom have little prospect of being picked up by future selection boards but will await only the completion of 21 years' service before going on the retired list. Example: The list is about the same as when each class was commissioned, except for a small percentage who were passed over once or twice and then picked up.