peck

English

/pɛk/

verb
Definitions
  • (ambitransitive) To strike or pierce with the beak or bill (of a bird).
  • (transitive) To form by striking with the beak or a pointed instrument.
  • To strike, pick, thrust against, or dig into, with a pointed instrument, especially with repeated quick movements.
  • To seize and pick up with the beak, or as if with the beak; to bite; to eat; often with up.
  • To do something in small, intermittent pieces.
  • To type by searching for each key individually.
  • (rare) To type in general.
  • To kiss briefly.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English pecken, piken.

Origin

Middle English

piken

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms