peck at

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Word: Peck at

Part of Speech: Verb

Basic Meaning: To eat small amounts of food slowly or without much enthusiasm, like a bird pecking at grains.

Usage Instructions:

• "Peck at" is often used to describe how someone eats when they are not very hungry or are not interested in food.
• It can also describe a very light or casual way of eating.

Examples:

1. Basic Example: "During lunch, Sarah just pecked at her salad instead of eating it all."
2. Advanced Example: "After feeling unwell, he continued to peck at his dinner, leaving most of it untouched."

Variants:

• Peck (verb): The action of striking or biting something lightly, often used for birds.
• Peckish (adjective): Feeling slightly hungry.

Different Meanings:

1. Literal Meaning: Refers to the way birds eat by picking at food.
2. Figurative Meaning: Can mean to show a lack of appetite or interest in food.

Synonyms:

• Nibble
• Pick at
• Snack lightly
• Graze

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• Pick at: Similar to "peck at," meaning to eat small amounts of food without finishing it.
• Nibble on: To eat something in small bites; usually implies a casual or light eating style.

Example in a Sentence:

• "When she was nervous, she would often just pick at her food, hardly eating anything at all."

Summary:

"Peck at" is a verb that describes the action of eating in small amounts, often indicating a lack of appetite or interest in food.

Academic

Verb

1. eat like a bird
   • The anorexic girl just picks at her food

Synonyms

• pick at
• peck