Verb
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gain or regain energy
"I picked up after a nap"
- perk up - gain vigor -
eat by pecking at, like a bird
-
perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily
"I caught the aroma of coffee"
"He caught the allusion in her glance"
"ears open to catch every sound"
"The dog picked up the scent"
"Catch a glimpse"
-
improve significantly
go from bad to good
"Her performance in school picked up"
- turn around -
fill with high spirits
fill with optimism
"Music can uplift your spirits"
- lift up -
meet someone for sexual purposes
"he always tries to pick up girls in bars"
-
lift out or reflect from a background
"The scarf picks up the color of the skirt"
"His eyes picked up his smile"
-
register (perceptual input)
"pick up a signal"
-
buy casually or spontaneously
"I picked up some food for a snack"
-
take into custody
"the police nabbed the suspected criminals"
-
get in addition, as an increase
"The candidate picked up thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home"
-
get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
"I learned that she has two grown-up children"
"I see that you have been promoted"
- get word - get wind - find out - get a line -
gather or collect
"You can get the results on Monday"
"She picked up the children at the day care center"
"They pick up our trash twice a week"
- gather up - call for -
give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift
"We picked up a hitchhiker on the highway"
-
take up by hand
"He picked up the book and started to read"
-
take and lift upward
- lift up - gather up