Phrasal Verb: Pick up

Pick up - Improve

Example:

Sales PICKED UP a bit during the Christmas period.

Notes:

- Intransitive

- International English

Pick up - Learn quickly

Example:

She PICKED UP Spanish in six months.

Notes:

- Separable [optional]

- International English

Pick up - Collect

Example:

While you're in town, can you PICK UP my trousers from the Dry Cleaner?

Notes:

- Separable [optional]

- International English

Contributed By: BobK

Pick up - Receive (a broadcast)

Example:

When we rent a holiday cottage in Cornwall, we can't PICK UP Channel 5.

Notes:

- Separable [optional]

- International English

Pick up - Collect (a person). This differs from the 'collect a thing' meaning - as that means 'collect and bring back' whereas this means either (i) 'collect and drop off on your way' or (ii) 'collect and bring to the same destination'.

Example:

i) Can you PICK me UP and take me to The George when you go to the party? ii) Can you PICK UP some friends of mine on your way to the party? They're going too.

Notes:

- Separable [optional]

- International English

Contributed By: BobK

Other Phrasal Verbs

We have 9 phrasal verbs with 'PICK'

- Pick at
- Pick off
- Pick on
- Pick out
- Pick through
- Pick up
- Pick up after
- Pick up on
- Pick yourself up

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