pick up
v 1: take and lift upward [syn: {lift up}, {gather up}]
2: take up by hand; "He picked up the book and started to read"
3: give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift
4: gather or collect; "You can get the results on Monday";
"She picked up the children at the day care center" [syn:
{collect}, {gather up}, {call for}]
5: get to know or become aware of; "I learned that she has two
grown-up children"; "I see that you have been promoted"
[syn: {learn}, {hear}, {get word}, {get wind}, {find out},
{get a line}, {discover}, {see}]
6: get in addition, as an increase; "The candidate picked up
thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home"
7: take into custody, as of suspected criminals, by the police
[syn: {collar}, {nail}, {apprehend}, {arrest}, {nab}, {cop}]
8: buy casually or spontaneously; "I picked up some food for a
snack"
9: of perceptual input: receive a signal, receive news, receive
a verdict, etc. [syn: {receive}]
10: lift out or reflect from a background, as of a color; "The
scarf picks up the color of the skirt"; "His eyes picked
up his smile"
11: meet someone for sexual purposes
12: fill with high spirits; fill with optimism [syn: {elate}, {lift
up}, {uplift}, {intoxicate}] [ant: {depress}]
13: get better; "Her performance in school picked up" [syn: {turn
around}]
14: perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily;
"I caught the aroma of coffee"; "He caught the allusion
in her glance"; "ears open to catch every sound"; "The
dog picked up the scent"; "Catch a glimpse" [syn: {catch}]
15: eat by pecking at; of birds [syn: {peck}]
16: gain or regain energy [syn: {perk up}, {perk}, {percolate},
{gain vigor}]