transitive verb
1
a
: to take hold of and lift up
b
: to gather together : collect
2
: to take (passengers or freight) into a vehicle
3
a
: to acquire casually or by chance
picked up a valuable antique at an auction
b
: to acquire by study or experience : learn
picking up a great deal of knowledge in the process
c
: to obtain especially by payment : buy
d
: to acquire (a player) especially from another team through a trade or by financial recompense
e
: to accept for the purpose of paying
offered to pick up the tab
f
: to come down with : catch
g
: gain, earn
picked up a few yards on the last play
picked up her first victory
4
a
: to enter informally into conversation or companionship with (a previously unknown person)
had a brief affair with a girl he picked up in a bar
b
: to take into custody
the police picked up the fugitive
5
a
: to catch sight of : perceive
picked up the harbor lights
b
: to come to and follow
picked up the outlaw's trail
c
: to bring within range of sight or hearing
pick up distant radio signals
d
: understand, catch
7
: to resume after a break : continue
pick up the discussion tomorrow
8
: to assume responsibility for guarding (an opponent) in an athletic contest
9
: to provide needed support or assistance to (someone who has faltered or failed, such as a teammate who has made an error) in a collaborative effort
… Burns allowed only five hits and did not issue a walk. She also picked up her teammates after several fielding errors. John Knebels
We have faith. We don't panic. Even in all these one-run ballgames, we have trust in each other that we're going to pull it out. We pick each other up. On days we're not pitching it great, our offense gets going and vice versa. Marco Gonzales
intransitive verb
1
: to recover or increase speed, vigor, or activity : improve
after the strike, business picked up
the wind began to pick up
2
: to put things in order
was always picking up after her
3
: to pack up one's belongings
couldn't just pick up and leave