pick-off
noun
a play in which a base runner, caught off base, is tagged out by an infielder on a quick throw, usually from the pitcher or catcher.
pick-off
American
[pik-awf, -of]
/ ˈpɪkˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
noun
-
Baseball. a play in which a base runner, caught off base, is tagged out by an infielder on a quick throw, usually from the pitcher or catcher.
-
Electronics. a mechanism that senses mechanical motion and produces a corresponding electric signal.
pick off
British
verb
pick off
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of pick-off
First recorded in 1935–40; noun use of verb phrase pick off
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:
Mookie Betts sparked the winning rally off Royals left-hander Will Smith with a one-out single to left field, and he took second on Smith’s errant pick-off throw to first.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2024
So, the dugout decided to call for a pick-off move, with bench coach Bob Geren signaling it in with a coded touch of his nose and ears.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2022
Cease was at fault for Detroit’s run, throwing away a pick-off attempt to allow Victor Reyes to score.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 14, 2022
An inning later, Gonzales’ throwing error on a pick-off attempt advanced Ketel Marte to third, and he scored on Carson Kelly’s sacrifice fly.
From Fox News ● Sep. 11, 2021
Cody walked Kyle Seager in the second inning, then threw a pick-off attempt wide to advance him to second.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 5, 2020
Henderson tried to pick off Edman, but his errant throw gave the Dodgers the lead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
The traditional "big four" grocers at the time - Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons - were slow to respond to the new competition, leaving the challengers to gradually pick off their shoppers.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
But Ukraine has adapted by using drones and artillery to pick off such assault units, and by seeking out Russian squads that manage to get through.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
Navy decommissioned its last battleship in 1992, after the military recognized that battleships had become sitting ducks, vulnerable to modern military munitions that could pick off the vessel from the sky.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
Long-necked waterbirds flapped around the canoe as we pulled in, trying to pick off fish, and I realized they were nesting near our mooring post.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
