Emily Dickinson Lexicon

pick (-ed, -ing), v. [Collateral form of OE pike, etymology obscure.] (webplay: fingers, grows, lock, pocket, slowly, small, steal, tree).

1. Pluck; harvest; gather; [fig.] enjoy; relish; savor; experience; derive pleasure from.
2. Select; choose; decide on; [pun on “pick a lock”; see definition “C”.]
3. Undo secretively; open clandestinely.
4. Empty; dip into; clean out; divest of valuable contents; steal from; filch from; pilfer from; snatch from.
5. Phrase. “Pick up”: recover; retrieve; take hold of; grasp and lift upwards in order to inspect. 1147/1149
6. Phrase. “Pick up”: liven up; become active; begin to be busy.