pick out
Third Person
picks out
Present Participle
picking out
Past Tense
picked out
Past Participle
picked out
1
to choose among a group of people or things
transitive
- Out of all the puppies, he picked out the one with the white patch on its forehead.
- She picked the best candidates out for the interview from the long list.
- Can you pick a few good movies out for tonight?
- She took her time to pick out the perfect dress for the event.
- They asked the children to pick out their favorite toys.
2
to identify someone or something in a group, often because of their unique features
transitive
- Among the crowd, she could easily pick out her father's voice.
- With his sharp eyes, he can pick out distant ships on the horizon.
- Even in the dim light, he managed to pick out the path.
- Among the chorus of bird calls, he could pick out the distinctive song of the nightingale.
- In the cluttered room, he was able to pick out the faint scent of lavender.
3
to see in an unclear and blurry manner, often due to low light, distance, etc.
transitive
- In the dimly lit room, she could barely pick out the shapes of the furniture.
- From a distance, it was hard to pick out the details of the distant mountain range.
- Through the fog, they could just pick out the silhouette of the ship on the horizon.
- As dusk fell, it became challenging to pick out individual stars in the night sky.
- In the early morning mist, it was difficult to pick out the landmarks along the trail.
4
to make something noticeable, usually by using different colors, designs, material, etc.
transitive
- He picked out the logo on the shirt using a neon thread.
- The carvings on the wooden door were picked out in white.
- The yellow stripes on the road were picked out, providing clear guidance for drivers.
- The gold lettering on the book cover was picked out, making the title easily readable.
- In the artwork, the artist used a contrasting color to pick out the details of the subject.
5
to play a piece of music by ear, without the use of sheet music
transitive
- She can pick out any tune on the piano after hearing it just once.
- After a few tries, he managed to pick the melody out on his guitar.
- With her keen musical ear, she easily picked out the song's chorus.
- At the campfire, she picked out a familiar song and everyone sang along.
- It's amazing how she can pick out complex pieces without ever seeing the sheet mu