pick-vpc-v; 12 Senses

Sense Number 1: physically lift

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP
NOTE: This sense is reserved only for the physical act of lifting.

Examples:
If she starts to cry, pick her up and give her a cuddle.
I went to pick up the receiver, but it had stopped ringing.
He picked the book up from the table and held it in his hands.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up 1

Sense Number 2: get, acquire, gather, or collect

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP

Examples:
He picked up the book and started to read.
Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker?
She picked up the children at the day care center.
Where should he go in the waning hours of the campaign to pick up more votes?
I picked up some food for snack.
I really picked up a bargain during the weekend sale.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: pick.04
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up 2, 3, 4, 6, 8

Sense Number 3: notice or perceive; learn without being taught

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP

Examples:
In most cases people are able to pick up the signal within a day.
I was always the one that picked up the smell of the flats first.
Police dogs picked up the scent of the two men from clothes they had left behind.
She is quick on picking up on the seasonal trends.
Someone is bound to pick up you are new to this job.
When you live in a country you soon pick up the language.

Mappings:
VerbNet: discover-84-1
FrameNet: Becoming_aware
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up 5, 9, 14

Sense Number 4: increase or improve

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP

Examples:
The wind picked up late Saturday afternoon.
I'm hoping that the number will pick up as soon as this season is over.
I watched it at a very low time in my life and it picked up my spirits.
Her performance in school really picked up.
Her acting career picked up as she started appearing in sitcoms.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: pick.05
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up 12, 13, 16

Sense Number 5: emphasize

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP, PICK OUT

Examples:
The lettering was later picked up in gold lustre.
The scarf picks up the color of the skirt.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up 10

Sense Number 6: recognize, choose, and take from a selection

Examples:
It is easy for them to pick off the most lucrative business and ignore the rest.
I scan through daily and pick off the best articles.
At the shop, Jen picked out a red tea named chocolate mint over ice.
Can you pick out the three deliberate mistakes in this paragraph?
The critics picked him out as the outstanding male dancer of the decade.
They hang around until the fish are thoroughly picked over in February.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NN
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: pick.03
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_over 1
pick_out 1, 2
pick_off 2

Sense Number 7: criticize; find fault with

Commentary: Includes: PICK APART, PICK AT

Examples:
My master picked his defenses apart with ruthless efficiency.
You fail to see the main points and want to pick apart the argument devoid of context.
He picked at the way in which the papers were not referenced correctly.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: pick.02
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_apart 1
pick_at 3

Sense Number 8: lightly pluck or hit at

Commentary: Includes: PICK AT

Examples:
He shook his head and picked at the dust between his feet.
Stop picking at your face and make it bleed.
Often he sat alone and just picked at his food.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_at 1, 2

Sense Number 9: arrest

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP

Examples:
He was picked up by the police for drug dealing.
The police picked her up just outside Canterbury.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: pick.09
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up 7

Sense Number 10: make sexual or romantic advances

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP

Examples:
In the '70s, you picked up women by blowing cigarette smoke in their face.
A man works odd jobs, picks up women, and drinks.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up 11

Sense Number 11: shoot or target one by one

Examples:
I fired, raising a sweat as I picked the targets off again without a miss.
Most of the chickens that roosted outside soon got picked off by various predators.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_off 1

Sense Number 12: accept a challenge

Commentary: Includes: PICK UP THE GAUNTLET

Examples:
He is bound to pick up the gauntlet thrown down by McClaren.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
pick_up_the_gauntlet 1