pick at

• Verbe à particule utilisé pour désigner le fait de manger de petites quantités de nourriture sans appétit, ou de toucher quelque chose de manière répétée, ou encore de critiquer quelqu'un de façon persistante.

A phrasal verb used to indicate the act of eating small amounts without appetite, or repeatedly touching or criticizing something or someone.

indénombrable · intransitif · phrasal, inséparable

1. Eat without appetiteinformal

   To eat very small amounts of food, often because of lack of appetite or anxiety.

   grignoter

   • She just picked at her dinner, not feeling hungry.
   • He was so nervous that he only picked at his food.
   • Stop picking at your plate and eat properly.

   Synonymesnibblepeck attoy with

   Antonymesbingedevourfeastgorgewolf

2. Criticize repeatedlyinformal

   To repeatedly criticize or find fault with someone in a petty way.

   critiquer de façon mesquine

   • His boss kept picking at his work, finding minor errors.
   • She always picks at her husband for small mistakes.
   • Stop picking at me about the way I dress.

   Synonymesbadgercarpcavilnagnitpick

   Antonymespraise

3. Touch or pull repeatedlyinformal

   To repeatedly touch, pull, or scratch something, often nervously.

   Tripoter

   • He nervously picked at a loose thread on his shirt.
   • She picked at the label on her bottle while waiting.
   • The child picked at the scab on his knee.

   Synonymesfiddle withpluck atpull attweaktwiddleworry

Verbe de basepick