PECK AT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does peck at mean? 

• PECK AT (verb)
  The verb PECK AT has 1 sense:

1. eat like a bird

  Familiarity information: PECK AT used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PECK AT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Eat like a bird

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

peck; peck at; pick at

Context example:

The anorexic girl just picks at her food

Hypernyms (to "peck at" is one way to...):

eat (take in solid food)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They peck at more bread

 Context examples 

Laurie screwed up his face and obeyed with a gingerly peck at each little cheek that produced another laugh, and made the babies squeal.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“Ah, she's a handsome craft, she is,” the cook would say, and give her sugar from his pocket, and then the bird would peck at the bars and swear straight on, passing belief for wickedness.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The old lady likes me, and I'll be as sweet as possible to her, so she won't peck at us, whatever we do.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Don't peck at one another, children.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)