pick up

Formspicks up, picking up, picked up

1. 1
   phrasal verbtransitive

   To take something in your hands and lift it up.

   He picked up the heavy box with both hands.

   Can you pick up that pen for me? It rolled under the table.

   Similarlift, hoist, raise

   Oppositelower, drop

   Note
2. 2
   fetchphrasal verbtransitive

   To get or collect something, often while you are going somewhere else.

   Could you pick up some bread on the way home?

   I need to pick up my dry cleaning before five.

   Similarcollect, fetch, get, retrieve

   Oppositedeliver

3. 3
   give a ridephrasal verbtransitive

   To go and get someone in a car or other vehicle.

   Dad will pick up the kids after soccer practice.

   The bus picks up passengers at the corner every ten minutes.

   Similarcollect, fetch, get

   Oppositedrop

4. 4
   answer a callphrasal verbtransitive or intransitive

   To answer the phone when it rings.

   I called twice, but nobody picked up.

   Can you pick up the phone? My hands are wet.

   Similaranswer

5. 5
   improvephrasal verbintransitive

   To get better, bigger, or faster.

   Sales usually pick up before the holidays.

   The wind picked up in the afternoon.

   Similarimprove, recover, rally, revive, brighten

   Oppositedecline, slump, worsen, slow

6. 6
   learnphrasal verbtransitive

   To learn something, or start to understand it.

   Kids pick up new languages quickly.

   She picked up the rules of the game after one round.

   Similarlearn

7. 7
   tidyphrasal verbtransitive or intransitive

   To tidy a room or place, or to clear up your own mess.

   Pick up your room before your friends come over.

   Everyone has to pick up after lunch.

   Similartidy, clean, straighten

8. 8
   start againphrasal verbintransitive

   To start again after stopping.

   We'll pick up where we left off after lunch.

   The second season picks up a year after the finale.

   Similarresume, continue, restart

   Note
9. 9
   get by accidentphrasal verbtransitive

   To get something without meaning to, such as an illness.

   I picked up a stomach bug at the party.

   Your shoes will pick up mud on that path.

   Similarcatch, contract, acquire, collect, gather

10. 10
    other spellingnoun · pick-upcountable or uncountable

    Alternative form of pickup. The same word written with a hyphen.

    He loaded the lumber into the back of his pick-up.

    The old record player needs a new pick-up.

    Note

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