Meaning of pick sth up In English

• 0 to learn a new skill or language by practising it rather than being taught it:

  • Don't bother with the computer manual - you'll pick it up as you go along.

  • When you live in a country you soon pick up the language.

  • The nurse had picked up the information from a conversation she overheard.

• 1 to buy something cheaply:

  • She picked up some real bargains in the sale.

• 2 to win or get a prize or something that gives you an advantage, such as votes or support:

  • The People's Front expect to pick up a lot more votes in this year's elections.

• 3 (of a piece of electrical equipment) to receive a signal:

  • Can you pick up (= receive broadcasts from) Moscow on your radio?

• 4 to notice and react to something:

  • Police dogs picked up the scent of the two men from clothes they had left behind.

• 5 to catch an illness from someone or something, caused by bacteria or a virus:

  • He picked up malaria when he was visiting the country on business.

• 6 to start something again after an interruption:

  • The author picks the same theme up again on page ten.

  • Let's pick up where we left off yesterday.

• 7 to buy something, usually cheaply:

  • We picked up a bargain on the housing market during the recession.

• 8 to pay for what has been bought, especially a meal in a restaurant:

  • The airline picked up the bill for the night spent at the hotel.