picketing

[ pik-it-ing ]

adjective

1. standing or marching, usually while holding a placard or sign, in front of a workplace, embassy, etc., as during a strike or demonstration:

   Local people have dropped off food supplies and newspapers for the picketing workers outside the plant.

2. Military, Navy, Air Force. acting as a guard in front of other troops or vessels to warn against an enemy advance:

   The enemy made us defend every inch, and it wasn’t long before our picketing troops ahead were engaged.

   The British squadrons had been weakened by the ambush on their picketing submarines.

noun

1. the act of standing or marching with placards or signs in front of a workplace, embassy, etc., as during a strike or demonstration:

   Peace activists instituted regular picketing of the weekly cabinet meetings and held vigils throughout the country.

Word History and Origins

Origin of picketing¹

First recorded in 1830–40; picket ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; picket ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

In one ad he walks a dog along the sidewalk in front of suburban homes with picket fences.

From Washington Post

Many workers’ groups, blocked from picket lines and protests due to pandemic restrictions, have been driven online.

From Fortune

Recently, studies of the picket fence’s color have cast doubt on its origins.

From Science News

This session was thusly canceled and tickets were refunded when Ocasio-Cortez and Warren announced they would not cross the picket line, would have taken place on Monday night.

From Digiday

There’s this game-of-life kind of thing — you’re raised to believe that you need the nice house with the picket fence, the car.

From Eater

And sure enough, before long, immigration activists in North Carolina were picketing Hagan at campaign events.

From The Daily Beast

The Klan is standing up to the 'God Hates Fags' protestors in light of the WBC's picketing of military funerals.

From The Daily Beast

Perhaps the saddest note came from an Alabama paper: "No Walmart workers in attendance at Mobile Walmart picketing".

From The Daily Beast

Miners who were working under killer conditions were shot at while picketing.

From The Daily Beast

It also legalised peaceful picketing, that particular form of persuasion with which a democratic age has become only too familiar.

From Project Gutenberg

Under one of these trees they reined up after a ride of two hours, and picketing their horses, prepared breakfast.

From Project Gutenberg

The Rappahannock river flowed between the Yankee and the Rebel armies, each picketing its own side of the stream.

From Project Gutenberg

Usually injunctions were sought to prevent not violence, but strikes, picketing, or boycotting.

From Project Gutenberg

Picketing is illegal when accompanied by violence, threats, intimidation, and coercion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• advocacy
• involvement
• militancy