Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense pickets, present participle picketing, past tense, past participle picketed
1. verb
When a group of people, usually trade union members, picket a place of work, they stand outside it in order to protest about something, to preventpeople from going in, or to persuade the workers to join a strike.
The miners went on strike and picketed the power stations. [VERB noun]
100 union members and supporters picketed outside. [VERB]
Synonyms: blockade, boycott, demonstrate outside More Synonyms of picket
Picket is also a noun.
...forty demonstrators who have set up a twenty-four-hour picket.
picketinguncountable noun
There was widespread picketing of mines where work was continuing. [+ of]
2. countable noun
Pickets are people who are picketing a place of work.
Ten hotels were damaged by pickets in the weekend strike of hotel workers.
The strikers agreed to remove their pickets and hold talks with the government.
Synonyms: protester, demonstrator, picketer, flying picket More Synonyms of picket
More Synonyms of picket
picket in British English
(ˈpɪkɪt)
noun
1.
a pointed stake, post, or peg that is driven into the ground to support a fence, provide a marker for surveying, etc
2.
an individual or group that stands outside an establishment to make a protest, to dissuade or prevent employees or clients from entering, etc
3. Also: picquet
a small detachment of troops or warships positioned towards the enemy to give early warning of attack
verb
4.
to post or serve as pickets at (a factory, embassy, etc)
let's go and picket the shop
5.
to guard (a main body or place) by using or acting as a picket
6. (transitive)
to fasten (a horse or other animal) to a picket
7. (transitive)
to fence (an area, boundary, etc) with pickets
Derived forms
picketer (ˈpicketer)
noun
Word origin
C18: from French piquet, from Old French piquer to prick; see pike2
picket in American English
(ˈpɪkɪt)
noun
1.
a stake or slat, usually pointed, used as an upright in a fence, a hitching post for animals, a marker, etc.
2.
a group of soldiers or a single soldier stationed, usually at an outpost, to guard a body of troops from surprise attack
3.
a ship or airplane that patrols a defense perimeter
4.
a person, as a member of a labor union on strike, stationed outside a factory, store, or public building, often carrying a sign, to demonstrate opposition to certain views or practices, keep strikebreakers from entering, or dissuade people from buying
verb transitive
5.
to enclose, shut in, or protect with a picket fence or palisade
6.
to hitch (an animal) to a picket
7.
a.
to post as a military picket
b.
to guard (a body of troops) with a picket
8.
to place pickets, or serve as a picket, at (a factory, etc.)
verb intransitive
9.
to serve as a picket (sense 4)
Derived forms
picketer (ˈpicketer)
noun
Word origin
Fr piquet < piquer, to pierce < pic, pike2
Examples of 'picket' in a sentence
picket
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
Strike leaders now fear thousands of the medics will cross picket lines as they do not support the action.
The Sun (2016)
And if that doesn't work, they must cross the picket line and proudly vow to put patients first.
The Sun (2016)
Today it probably has more use keeping strikers warm on picket lines.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Some of our members were crossing picket lines in which other members were marching.
Christianity Today (2000)
Will she now think twice before joining the picket line again?
The Sun (2016)
Is the picket fence the wrong size?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The company president drove a truck through the picket line himself to deliver products and to pick up supplies.
A Conceptual View of Human Resource Management: Strategic Objectives, Environments,Functions
One in five crossed picket lines.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Simply add a white picket fence.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It doesn't always have to be the picket fence and the dog.
The Sun (2016)
It's no longer mum and dad and the picket fence.
Martin, April The Guide to Lesbian and Gay Parenting (1993)
He said the strikes were unnecessary and praised the 40 per cent of junior doctors who shunned the picket line.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They join no picket line.
The Sun (2012)
From a distance they gave the appearance of a low gray picket fence on top of which a long swath of green brocade had been spread.
Clerk, Jayana & Siegel, Ruth Modern Literatures of the Non-Western World: Where the Waters Are Born (1995)
I don't see myself crossing the picket line.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I don't agree with strikes or picket lines.
The Sun (2014)
Good luck on the picket line, Robbie.
The Sun (2008)
Most of the places we looked at were 19th-century timber-framed houses with picket fences.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
A picket is a group of employees who assemble outside their work place to show they are on strike and to dissuade colleagues from going in.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Because here, amid the sea air and white picket fences, the hips sway to a different rhythm.
The Sun (2015)
He says: 'Most people think their food still comes from a little farm with a red barn and white picket fence.
The Sun (2010)
A patch of real grass framed by a white picket fence has appeared between platforms at London Euston.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was hard to disagree, although this documentary didn't ask any of the questions that could have cast a shadow over the white picket fence.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
picket
British English: picket VERB
When a group of people picket, or picket a place of work, they stand outside it in order to protest about something.
A few dozen employees picketed the company's headquarters.
American English: picket
Brazilian Portuguese: formar piquete em frente de
Chinese: 聚集在…外抗议
European Spanish: hacer un piquete en
French: organiser un piquet de grève
German: Streikposten aufstellen vor
Italian: picchettare
Japanese: ピケを張る/ピケに立つ
Korean: 피켓 농성을 벌이다
European Portuguese: fazer piquete em frente de
Latin American Spanish: hacer un piquete en
Translate your text for free
All related terms of 'picket'
picket duty
the activity of standing outside an establishment to make a protest , to dissuade or prevent employees or clients from entering, etc
picket line
A picket line is a group of pickets outside a place of work.
flying picket
(in industrial disputes ) a member of a group of pickets organized to be able to move quickly from place to place
picket fence
A picket fence is a fence made of pointed wooden sticks fixed into the ground, with pieces of wood nailed across them.
secondary action
the picketing by strikers of a place of work that supplies goods to or distributes goods from their employer
1 (verb)
Definition
to act as pickets outside (a workplace)
The miners went on strike and picketed the power station.
Synonyms
blockade
boycott
demonstrate outside
2 (verb)
Synonyms
fence
They intend to fence in about 100 acres of land.
enclose
The land was enclosed by an eight-foot wire fence.
wall in
corral (US)
They were corralled into a hastily constructed shelter.
pen in
shut in
rail in
palisade
hedge in
1 (noun)
Demonstrators have set up a twenty-four-hour picket.
Synonyms
demonstration
Thousands of peeople attended the demonstration.
blockade
2 (noun)
Definition
a person or group standing outside a workplace to dissuade strikebreakers from entering
Ten hotels were damaged by pickets in the weekend strike.
Synonyms
protester
Protesters took to the streets against the cuts.
demonstrator
Police tried to break up a crowd of demonstrators.
picketer
flying picket
3 (noun)
Definition
a small unit of troops posted to give early warning of attack
Troops are still manning pickets and patrolling the area.
Synonyms
lookout
One committed the burglary and the other acted as lookout.
watch
Keep a close watch on him while I'm gone.
guard
The prisoners overpowered their guards and locked them in a cell.
patrol
The trespassers fled after they were challenged by a patrol.
scout
They set off, two men out in front as scouts.
spotter
sentry
The sentry would not let her enter.
sentinel
a watchful sentinel
vedette (military)
4 (noun)
Definition
a pointed stake that is driven into the ground to support a fence
The area was fenced in with pickets to keep out the animals.
Synonyms
stake
Drive in a stake before planting the tree.
post
Eight wooden posts were driven into the ground.
pale
the pales of the fence
paling
peg
upright
palisade
a stout wooden palisade enclosing the yard
stanchion
Additional synonyms
in the sense of corral
Definition
to put in a corral
They were corralled into a hastily constructed shelter.
Synonyms
enclose,
confine,
cage,
mew,
fence in,
impound,
pen in,
coop up
in the sense of demonstrator
Definition
a person who takes part in a public demonstration
Police tried to break up a crowd of demonstrators.
Synonyms
protester,
rebel,
dissident,
dissenter,
agitator,
protest marcher
in the sense of enclose
Definition
to surround completely
The land was enclosed by an eight-foot wire fence.
Synonyms
surround,
cover,
circle,
bound,
wrap,
fence,
pound,
pen,
hedge,
confine,
close in,
encompass,
wall in,
encircle,
encase,
fence in,
impound,
circumscribe,
hem in,
shut in,
environ
Synonyms of 'picket'
picket
Explore 'picket' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of guard
The prisoners overpowered their guards and locked them in a cell.
Synonyms
sentry,
warder,
warden,
custodian,
watch,
patrol,
lookout,
watchman,
sentinel
in the sense of pale
Definition
a wooden post used in fences
the pales of the fence
Synonyms
post,
stake,
paling,
upright,
picket,
slat,
palisade
in the sense of palisade
Definition
a fence made of stakes driven into the ground
a stout wooden palisade enclosing the yard
Synonyms
fence,
defence,
paling,
enclosure,
bulwark,
stockade
in the sense of patrol
Definition
a person or group that carries out such an action
The trespassers fled after they were challenged by a patrol.
Synonyms
guard,
watch,
garrison,
watchman,
sentinel,
patrolman
in the sense of post
Definition
a length of wood, metal, or concrete fixed upright to support or mark something
Eight wooden posts were driven into the ground.
Synonyms
support,
stake,
pole,
stock,
standard,
column,
pale,
shaft,
upright,
pillar,
picket,
palisade,
newel
in the sense of scout
Definition
a person sent to find out the position of the enemy
They set off, two men out in front as scouts.
Synonyms
vanguard,
lookout,
precursor,
outrider,
reconnoitrer,
advance guard
in the sense of sentinel
Definition
a sentry
a watchful sentinel
Synonyms
guard,
watch,
lookout,
sentry,
picket,
watchman
in the sense of sentry
Definition
a soldier who keeps watch and guards a camp or building