picking
Americannoun
-
pickings
plural
-
the act of a person or thing that picks.
-
something that is or may be picked or picked up.
-
the amount picked.
-
pickings,
-
scraps or gleanings.
the pickings of a feast.
-
profits or gains; spoils.
-
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of picking
before 900; Middle English; Old English picung (once) a mark made by picking; see pick 1, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It also became the ultimate beneficiary of the Graham dinner meeting, picking up the contract Graham allegedly agreed to facilitate that night.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Of the memorable onstage moments in my career as a panel moderator, John Turturro successfully picking my pocket in front of a live audience might take the cake.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
Shelter prices were up 1.8% compared with a year ago, picking up from August’s 1.5% rise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Shopkeepers were seen early on Sunday morning picking up large shards of glass in Paris as rubbish trucks cleared up debris on some of the larger streets.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
Some women were already asleep after the long workday, but most were stirring about, some waiting for a turn at the toilets, others picking lice off themselves and their neighbors.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Murdoch, his business empire and his feuds with his six children have become rich pickings for authors, screenwriters and directors.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
Holly: Losing Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez in this transfer window leaves slim pickings in terms of a talisman at Fulham, with remaining striker Rodrigo Muniz among their most expensive assets.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
We are small fry by most standards, but I can imagine state lawmakers looking at us as easy pickings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
A hunk of romaine was easy pickings for Porkchop and her three flippers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026
That morning there were a lot of pickings; I soon filled the small basket I had with me.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
