peck
pronunciation
How to pronounce peck in British English:
UK [pek]
How to pronounce peck in American English:
US [pek]
-
- Noun:
- (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
- a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 2 gallons
- a United States dry measure equal to 8 quarts or 537.605 cubic inches
-
- Verb:
- hit lightly with a picking motion
- eat by pecking at, like a bird
- kiss lightly
- eat like a bird
- bother persistently with trivial complaints
Word Origin
- peck (v.)
- c. 1300, possibly a variant of picken (see pick (v.)), or in part from Middle Low German pekken "to peck with the beak." Related: Pecked; pecking.
- peck (n.1)
- late 13c., "dry measure of one-quarter bushel," of unknown origin; perhaps connected with Old French pek, picot (13c.), also of unknown origin (Barnhart says these were borrowed from English). Chiefly of oats for horses; original sense may be "allowance" rather than a fixed measure, thus perhaps from peck (v.).
- peck (n.2)
- "act of pecking," 1610s, from peck (v.). It is attested earlier in thieves' slang (1560s) with a sense of "food, grub."
Example
- 1. Do you know why chickens peck the ground ?
- 2. Magpies peck at wizened ash berries .
- 3. Swans can give you a nasty peck .
- 4. They 'll peck at your rings .
- 5. Peck at symbol 1 and you get three food pellets . Never more , never less .