Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PICK, n. [Fr. pique; D. pik.]

1. A sharp pointed tool for digging or removing in small quantities. What the miners call chert and whern … is so hard that the picks will not touch it. – Woodward.
2. Choice; right of selection. You may have your pick.
3. Among printers, foul matter which collects on printing types from the balls, bad ink, or from the paper impressed.