pick at
InseparableThe verb and particle never split. The object always follows the whole phrase.
How to say it
Stress the particle, not the verb: pick AT. Saying “PICK at” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.
Link across the gap. The final /k/ of “pick” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “pick at” is said “pi-ckat”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.
What it means
To eat only small amounts of food without enthusiasm.
- “He picked at his dinner and left most of it.”
Similar: nibble