peck

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: batchdealflockgood dealgreat dealhatfulheaplotmassmessmicklemint

WordNet 3.0

Noun (3)

  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”Synonyms: batchdealflockgood dealgreat dealhatfulheaplotmassmessmicklemintmountainmucklepasselpileplentypotquite a littleraftsightslewspatestacktidy sumwad
  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

Verb (5)

  1. hit lightly with a picking motionSynonyms: pickbeak
  2. eat by pecking at, like a birdSynonyms: pick up
  3. kiss lightlySynonyms: smack
  4. eat like a bird“The anorexic girl just picks at her food”Synonyms: pick atpeck at
  5. bother persistently with trivial complaints“She nags her husband all day long”Synonyms: naghen-peck
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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] `

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]

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]

Peck \Peck\ (p[e^]k), n. A quick, sharp stroke, as with the beak of a bird or a pointed instrument. [1913 Webster]
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