PICK UP – Phrasal Verb
What is the Meaning of PICK UP?
pick up someone/something
pick someone/something up
Definition 1:
pay for something that is not a complex purchase
Examples:
1. Every time we go out with them, he picks up the tab. It’s very generous of him, but we feel terrible about it and wish he would let us pay sometimes.(To PICK UP the bill, or the tab means to pay for a meal in a restaurant.)
2. He picked up an old bike while he was travelling.
3. He picked some cough medicine up while he was at the grocery store.
Definition 2:
remove something, usually from the floor, often because you are cleaning or tidying
Examples:
1. Be sure the kids pick up their toys before they go to bed.
2. If my mom drops something, I pick it up for her because she is 86 years old and it is difficult for her to bend over.
Definition 3:
to stop for someone (or something) and take the person (or thing) to your destination, usually in your vehicle
Examples:
1. Can you please stop and pick up my coat on your way home from work today? I forgot it at Jo’s place.
2. Can I pick you up at 4:30?
Definition 4:
catch an illness or or infection
Examples:
1. I seem to have picked up a cold. I feel miserable.
2. A lot of people at work have the flu. I hope I don’t pick it up.
Definition 5:
become aware of, or learn something in an informal way; acquire or get something in an informal way
Examples:
1. My Spanish is not good, but I picked some up when I was travelling.
2. I am going to go to the conference. I am hoping to pick up some ideas for our business.
3. My pants are picking up hair from your cat.
Definition 6:
detect a signal or a sound, especially electronic
Examples:
1. The radio began to pick up a lot of static.
2. We can’t pick many radio stations up when we are at the cottage at the lake.
3. If you are using a microphone, it is important to be careful that your breathing sounds aren’t picked up by the mic and magnified to your audience.
__________________________
pick someone up
Definition 7:
make someone feel more cheerful or energetic (Sometimes PERK is used instead of PICK.)
Examples:
1. Winter has been so long this year. I need to do something to pick myself up.
2. I chose some fun songs to pick you up.
pick up
pick up something
pick something up
Definition 8:
continue / resume something (This is often followed by: where s.o. left off.)
Examples:
1. We are very close friends. When we see each other after a long time apart, we always just pick up where we left off.
2. Her grandfather picked his story up again from where he had stopped in their last visit, and he continued to tell her about their family history.
Definition 9:
become stronger; improve
Examples:
1. Things are starting to pick up at work. It was dead for awhile, but we have some new regular customers and it is starting to get busy again.
2. The wind is picking up. I think we should close the windows. It looks like it’s going to rain.
Note: Many phrasal verbs have several definitions. All the definitions may not be shown here.
| present – | PICK UP |
| present participle – | PICKING UP |
| past – | PICKED UP |
| past participle – | PICKED UP |
