Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense pecks, present participle pecking, past tense, past participle pecked
1. verb
If a bird pecks at something or pecks something, it moves its beak forward quickly and bites at it.
It was winter and the sparrows were pecking at whatever they could find. [VERB + at]
Chickens pecked in the dust. [VERB preposition/adverb]
It pecked his leg. [VERB noun]
They turn on their own kind and peck each other to death. [VERB noun preposition]
These birds peck off all the red flowers. [VERB noun with adverb]
[Also VERB]
2. verb
If you peck someone on the cheek, you give them a quick, light kiss.
Elizabeth walked up to him and pecked him on the cheek. [VERB noun + on]
She pecked his cheek. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: kiss, plant a kiss, give someone a smacker, give someone a peck or kiss More Synonyms of peck
Peck is also a noun.
He gave me a little peck on the cheek. [+ on]
More Synonyms of peck
peck in British English1
(pɛk)
noun
1.
a unit of dry measure equal to 8 quarts or one quarter of a bushel
2.
a container used for measuring this quantity
3.
a large quantity or number
Word origin
C13: from Anglo-Norman, of uncertain origin
peck in British English2
(pɛk)
verb
1. (whenintr, sometimes foll by at)
to strike with the beak or with a pointed instrument
2. (transitive; sometimes foll byout)
to dig (a hole) by pecking
3. (transitive)
(of birds) to pick up (corn, worms, etc) by pecking
4. (intransitive; often foll byat)
to nibble or pick (at one's food)
5. informal
to kiss (a person) quickly and lightly
6. (intransitive; foll byat)
to nag
noun
7.
a quick light blow, esp from a bird's beak
8.
a mark made by such a blow
9. informal
a quick light kiss
Word origin
C14: of uncertain origin; compare pick1, Middle Low German pekken to jab with the beak
Peck in British English
(pɛk)
noun
Gregory. 1916–2003, US film actor; his films include Keys of the Kingdom (1944), The Gunfighter (1950), The Big Country (1958), To Kill a Mockingbird (1963), The Omen (1976), and Other People's Money (1991)
peck in American English1
(pɛk)
verb transitive
1.
to strike with a pointed object, as with a beak
2.
to make by doing this
to peck a hole
3.
to pick up with the beak; get by pecking
verb intransitive
4.
to make strokes as with a pointed object
noun
5.
a stroke so made, as with the beak
6.
a mark made as by pecking
7. Informal
a quick, casual kiss
a peck on the forehead
Idioms:
peck at
Word origin
ME pecken, var. of picken, pick1, in specialized senses
peck in American English2
(pɛk)
noun
1.
a unit of dry measure, equal to 1⁄4 bushel or 8 dry quarts (8.8096 dry liters or 0.3111 cubic foot)
abbrev. pk
2.
any container with a capacity of one peck
3. Informal
a large amount, as of trouble
Word origin
ME pek < OFr, prob. < ML bika, liquid measure, ult. < Gr bikos, wine jar: see beaker
Examples of 'peck' in a sentence
peck
The only physical closeness is the odd peck on the cheek.
The Sun (2016)
She only gives me a peck on the cheek.
The Sun (2016)
The news stories, it seems, followed him like pecking birds to the very end of his life.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The ones that peck your eyes out.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
She pushed back her chair and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Mothers dropped off their young sons for the first term with a perfunctory peck on the cheek.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The sides had the odd hole where the birds had been pecking.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He said he would run me home and gave me a peck on the cheek.
The Sun (2009)
She gave me a squeeze when we said goodnight and this led to a peck on the cheek.
The Sun (2016)
She wasn't risking life and limb for one tiny peck.
The Sun (2009)
The birds don't peck away the solid rock with their beaks.
Thompkins, Peter, Bird, Christopher Secrets of the Soil (1990)
She gives me a peck on the cheek, then tears back inside.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It ended up being a peck on the cheek and a hug, which felt right.
The Sun (2015)
He gave me a peck on the cheek, which instantly made me feel more relaxed.
The Sun (2006)
Another 16 per cent prefer a continental peck on the cheek.
The Sun (2012)
He gave me a peck on the cheek and said he'd take me straight home.
The Sun (2006)
They died in agonies on the gallows, where they were sometimes left for the birds to peck.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
One may also be a little bird pecking away the insects that prey upon the elephant's hide.
Stanley Bing THROWING THE ELEPHANT (2002)
I mean a quick peck on the cheek or the lips.
The Sun (2011)
I just get a peck on the cheek when he goes to work.
The Sun (2008)
A single peck on the cheek has been more than enough to keep them happy.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Having a bird peck food off their heads is just one of the challenges endured by the celebs taking part in this offbeat panel show.
The Sun (2013)
But if the flight had been in mid-air and the bird had been pecking the pilot, it could have been dangerous.
The Sun (2006)
Q WHY do birds peck at the brown patches on my lawn?
The Sun (2009)
In other languages
peck
British English: peck VERB
If a bird pecks at something or pecks something, it moves its beak forward quickly and bites at it.
The birds were pecking at whatever they could find.
American English: peck
Brazilian Portuguese: bicar
Chinese: 啄
European Spanish: picotear
French: picorer
German: picken an
Italian: beccare
Japanese: くちばしでつつく
Korean: 쪼아 먹다
European Portuguese: bicar
Latin American Spanish: picotear
Chinese translation of 'peck'
peck
(pɛk)
vt
[bird]啄 (zhuó)
vi
to peck at sth[bird]啄某物 (zhuó mǒuwù)
n(c)
[of bird]啄 (zhuó)
(= kiss) 匆匆地吻 (cōngcōng de wěn)
to peck a hole in sth在某物上啄一个(個)洞 (zài mǒuwù shang zhuó yī gè dòng)
to peck sb on the cheek, give sb a peck on the cheek轻(輕)吻某人面颊(頰) (qīngwěn mǒurén miànjiá)
1 (verb)
Definition
to strike or pick up with the beak
The crow pecked his hand.
Synonyms
pick
bite
Llamas won't bite or kick.
hit
She hit him hard across his left arm.
strike
She was struck by his simple, spellbinding eloquence.
tap
Tap the egg lightly with a teaspoon.
poke
Lindy poked him in the ribs.
jab
The needle was jabbed into my arm by a nurse.
prick
She pricked her finger with a needle.
nibble
He started to nibble his biscuit.
2 (verb)
Definition
to kiss (a person) quickly and lightly
She pecked me on the cheek.
Synonyms
kiss
She kissed me on the cheek.
plant a kiss
give someone a smacker
give someone a peck or kiss
(noun)
Definition
a quick light kiss
He gave me a peck on the lips.
Synonyms
kiss
I put my arms around her and gave her a kiss.
smacker
osculation (rare)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bite
Definition
(of animals or insects) to injure by puncturing (the skin) with the teeth or fangs
Llamas won't bite or kick.
Synonyms
nip,
cut,
tear,
wound,
grip,
snap,
crush,
rend (literary),
pierce,
champ,
pinch,
chew,
crunch,
clamp,
nibble,
gnaw,
masticate
in the sense of hit
Definition
to strike or touch (a person or thing) forcefully
She hit him hard across his left arm.
Synonyms
strike,
beat,
knock,
punch,
belt (informal),
deck (slang),
bang,
batter,
clip (informal),
slap,
bash (informal),
sock (slang),
chin (slang),
smack,
thump,
clout (informal),
cuff,
flog,
whack,
clobber (slang),
smite (archaic),
wallop (informal),
swat,
tonk (slang),
lay one on (slang),
beat or knock seven bells out of (informal)
in the sense of jab
Definition
to poke sharply
The needle was jabbed into my arm by a nurse.
Synonyms
poke,
dig,
punch,
thrust,
tap,
stab,
nudge,
prod,
lunge
Nearby words of
peck
pearly
peasant
peccadillo
peck
peculate
peculiar
peculiarity
Synonyms of 'peck'
peck
Explore 'peck' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of nibble
Definition
to bite gently
He started to nibble his biscuit.
Synonyms
bite,
eat,
peck,
pick at,
nip,
munch,
gnaw
in the sense of poke
Definition
to jab or prod with an elbow, finger, etc.
Lindy poked him in the ribs.
Synonyms
jab,
hit,
push,
stick,
dig,
punch,
stab,
thrust,
butt,
elbow,
shove,
nudge,
prod
in the sense of prick
Definition
to pierce lightly with a sharp point
She pricked her finger with a needle.
Synonyms
pierce,
stab,
puncture,
bore,
pink,
punch,
lance,
jab,
perforate,
impale
in the sense of strike
Definition
to affect (someone) deeply in a particular way
She was struck by his simple, spellbinding eloquence.
Synonyms
move,
touch,
impress,
hit,
affect,
overcome,
stir,
disturb,
perturb,
make an impact on
in the sense of tap
Definition
to make a rhythmic sound with the hands or feet by lightly and repeatedly hitting a surface with them