pick at

British  

verb

1. (intr, preposition) to make criticisms of in a niggling or petty manner

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pick at Idioms  

1. Pluck or pull at, especially with the fingers, as in She was always picking at her skirt with her nails . [1600s]

2. Eat sparingly and without appetite, as in He was just picking at his dinner . [Late 1500s]

3. Nag, badger, as in He's picking at me all day long . [ Colloquial ; second half of 1600s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pick at

Natalia leaves out healthy finger food, like chopped peppers and apples, for her children to pick at.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Going into Monday, the Rams have the No. 11 pick and another pick at No. 25 or lower.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2025

It was set up for them nicely, even more so when they won the toss and got the chance to try to pick at raw South African batting wounds by bowling first.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2025

Thanks to its record and growth prospects, Alibaba stock is a top pick at Jefferies.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2025

The rest of the meat spoiled in two days, and after that they only had bones to pick at.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee