peck
peck Lexical Profile
peck Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To strike, bite, or pick up something quickly and repeatedly with a beak (of a bird).
"Pigeons gathered in the town square to peck at the scattered breadcrumbs."
To kiss someone lightly and hurriedly.
"He paused at the front door to peck his wife on the cheek before heading to the station."
To eat reluctantly or in very small bites, or to type slowly with one or two fingers (usually followed by 'at').
"Still recovering from the flu, the child could only peck at his dinner."
• noun
A quick, sharp stroke or tap made by a bird with its beak.
"The curious hen gave the shiny coin a sharp peck before walking away."
A quick, light kiss, typically given on the cheek.
"She gave her grandmother a warm hug and a quick peck on the cheek."
A traditional unit of dry volume equal to two gallons or one-fourth of a bushel (approximately 8.8 liters in the US), or an informal large amount of something (as in 'a peck of trouble').
"At the autumn orchard, we bought half a peck of freshly picked apples for baking."
• Rhymes for peck
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb and action noun originate from Middle English 'pekken', closely related to 'pick' and 'pike', likely of imitative or Low German origin. The dry measure sense derives independently from Anglo-French 'pek', an ancient unit of capacity for grain and produce.