[syn: nag, peck, hen-peck]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Peck \Peck\, n. [Perh. akin to pack; or, orig., an indefinite
quantity, and fr. peck, v. (below): cf. also F. picotin a
peak.]
1. The fourth part of a bushel; a dry measure of eight
quarts; as, a peck of wheat. "A peck of provender."
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. A great deal; a large or excessive quantity. "A peck of
uncertainties and doubts." --Milton.
[1913 Webster] `
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Peck \Peck\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pecked (p[e^]kt); p. pr. &
vb. n. Pecking.] [See Pick, v.]
1. To strike with the beak; to thrust the beak into; as, a
bird pecks a tree.
[1913 Webster]
2. Hence: To strike, pick, thrust against, or dig into, with
a pointed instrument; especially, to strike, pick, etc.,
with repeated quick movements.
[1913 Webster]
3. To seize and pick up with the beak, or as with the beak;
to bite; to eat; -- often with up. --Addison.
[1913 Webster]
This fellow pecks up wit as pigeons peas. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
4. To make, by striking with the beak or a pointed
instrument; as, to peck a hole in a tree.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Peck \Peck\, v. i.
1. To make strokes with the beak, or with a pointed
instrument. --Carew.
[1913 Webster]
2. To pick up food with the beak; hence, to eat.
[1913 Webster]
[The hen] went pecking by his side. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
To peck at,
(a) to attack with petty and repeated blows; to carp at;
to nag; to tease.
(a) to eat slowly and in small portions, with litle
interest; as, to peck at one's food.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Peck \Peck\ (p[e^]k), n.
A quick, sharp stroke, as with the beak of a bird or a
pointed instrument.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
peck
n 1: (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or
extent; "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble"; "a lot
of money"; "he made a mint on the stock market"; "see the
rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos"; "it must
have cost plenty"; "a slew of journalists"; "a wad of
money" [syn: batch, deal, flock, good deal, great
deal, hatful, heap, lot, mass, mess, mickle,
mint, mountain, muckle, passel, peck, pile,
plenty, pot, quite a little, raft, sight, slew,
spate, stack, tidy sum, wad]
2: a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to
2 gallons
3: a United States dry measure equal to 8 quarts or 537.605
cubic inches
v 1: hit lightly with a picking motion [syn: peck, pick,
beak]
2: eat by pecking at, like a bird [syn: peck, pick up]
3: kiss lightly [syn: smack, peck]
4: eat like a bird; "The anorexic girl just picks at her food"
[syn: pick at, peck at, peck]
5: bother persistently with trivial complaints; "She nags her
husband all day long" [syn: nag, peck, hen-peck]