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

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

From Los Angeles Times

U.S. and Cook Islands government news releases showed him in a suit picking at pieces of pineapple and papaya as he sat opposite a group of diplomats in Hawaiian-style shirts.

From The Wall Street Journal

The number one pick at this year's Draft, the 18-year-old forward finished with 42 points, seven rebounds and six assists at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

From BBC

Her face breaks into a smile as Woo jumps onto her shoulder and picks at the crumbs left in his mane of fur.

From Literature

“It was me picking at my insides about the grief and disappointment I was dealing with,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal