pick apart

pick a·part

P p

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [pik uh-pahrt]
- /pɪk əˈpɑrt/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [pik uh-pahrt]
- /pɪk əˈpɑrt/

Definitions of pick apart words

verb with object pick apart to choose or select from among a group: to pick a contestant from the audience. 1
verb with object pick apart to seek and find occasion for; provoke: to pick a fight. 1
verb with object pick apart to attempt to find; seek out: to pick flaws in an argument. 1
verb with object pick apart to steal the contents of: Her pocket was picked yesterday. 1
verb with object pick apart to open (a lock) with a device other than the key, as a sharp instrument or wire, especially for the purpose of burglary. 1
verb with object pick apart to pierce, indent, dig into, or break up (something) with a pointed instrument: to pick rock; to pick ore. 1

See all 36 definitions of pick apart

Information block about the term

Origin of pick apart

First appearance:

before 1250

One of the 11% oldest English words

1250-1300; v. Middle English pyken, pikken, pekken, cognate with Dutch pikken, German picken, Old Norse pikka to pick; akin to peck2, pike5; (noun) derivative of the v.

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Pick apart

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Pick apart

pick apart popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

pick apart usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for pick apart

verb pick apart

animadvert — to comment with strong criticism (upon); make censorious remarks (about)
censure — If you censure someone for something that they have done, you tell them that you strongly disapprove of it.
disciplined — having or exhibiting discipline; rigorous: paintings characterized by a disciplined technique.
get after — to pursue or attack
look askance — glance sidelong or with suspicion

All 7 Synonyms of pick apart