Etymology : Middle English pek, from Middle French
Pronunciation : 'pek
Function : noun
Date : 13th century
1. gouge, hole; strike of a beak or other pointed tool. strike with a beak or pointed tool; dig, gouge. peck\peck\ , n. a quick, sharp stroke, as with the beak of a bird or a pointed instrument.peck \peck\, n. [perh. akin to pack; or, orig., an indefinite quantity, and fr. peck, v. (below): cf. also f. picotin a peak.].
2. the fourth part of a bushel; a dry measure of eight quarts; as, a peck of wheat. "a peck of provender.".
3. a great deal; a large or excessive quantity. "a peck of uncertainties and doubts."peck \peck\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. pecked ; p. pr. & vb. n. pecking.] [see:
pick, v.].
4. to strike with the beak; to thrust the beak into; as, a bird pecks a tree.
5. hence: to strike, pick, thrust against, or dig into, with a pointed instrument; especially, to strike, pick, etc., with repeated quick movements.
6. to seize and pick up with the beak, or as with the beak; to bite; to eat; -- often with up. this fellow pecks up wit as pigeons peas.
7. to make, by striking with the beak or a pointed instrument; as, to peck a hole in a tree.peck \peck\, v. i.
8. to make strokes with the beak, or with a pointed instrument. arew.
9. to pick up food with the beak; hence, to eat. [the hen] went pecking by his side.
10. The fourth part of a bushel; a dry measure of eight quarts; as, a peck of wheat.
11. A great deal; a large or excessive quantity.
12. To strike with the beak; to thrust the beak into; as, a bird pecks a tree.
13. Hence: To strike, pick, thrust against, or dig into, with a pointed instrument; especially, to strike, pick, etc., with repeated quick movements.
14. To seize and pick up with the beak, or as with the beak; to bite; to eat; often with up.
15. To make, by striking with the beak or a pointed instrument; as, to peck a hole in a tree.
16. To make strokes with the beak, or with a pointed instrument.
17. To pick up food with the beak; hence, to eat.
18. A quick, sharp stroke, as with the beak of a bird or a pointed instrument. a United States dry measure equal to 8 quarts or 537.605 cubic inches a British imperial capacity measure equal to 2 gallons eat by pecking at, like a bird hit lightly with a picking motion.
19. 1. 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 Chickens pecked in the dust It pecked his leg They turn on their own kind and peck each other to death These birds peck off all the red flowers.
20. 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 She pecked his cheek. Peck is also a noun. He gave me a little peck on the cheek. American explorer and mountain climber. Her most notable ascents include the volcano Popocatépetl in Mexico (1897) and Huascarán in the Peruvian Andes (1908). American actor who is best known for his portrayals of strong and courageous characters. Among his films are Spellbound (1950) and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), for which he won an Academy Award.