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to pick at
01
to frequently criticize someone about small issues
Grammatical Information
Composition
phrasal
Action verb
Regular
Inseparable
Particle
at
Base verb
pick
Present tense
pick at
3rd person singular
picks at
Present participle
picking at
Past simple
picked at
Past participle
picked at
Examples
Critics always seem to pick at her performances no matter how well she does.
02
to touch or tug on something repeatedly
Examples
It's not good to pick at scabs; it might lead to scars.
03
to eat only a small amount of food
Examples
She just picked at her food during dinner, claiming she wasn't hungry.
