🪶 To poke repeatedly 💋 A light kiss 💋 To kiss quickly 🐦 To eat little 🙄 To nag 📦 A large amount 🪶 A sharp bite 🧺 A dry measure

to peck

6 3.4

To eat small, quick bites like a bird

verb
/pɛk/

: picotear

The chickens peck at the scattered grains on the ground each morning.
peck at food
birds peck
chickens peck

But most people, the majority just want to cluck around at the dirt and Peck and look for bugs and worms.

Examples

The birds were hers, the sparrows pecking at sunflower seeds.

Fiction book (2002)
A few tubercular-looking chickens pecked half-heartedly around the small vegetable garden.

Fiction book (2001)
Just pecked at his food.

Pecker (1998)
I do believe this is the first time I've ever seen you peck at your food.

Fiction book (1991)
Grab you some milk and let the hens peck it off.

Death Alley (2021)
Most of the next day, Beverly pecked at letters on her computer keyboard, forming words that ran into sentences.

Fiction book (1999)
The goldfinches in the yard pecked tiny gold seeds from clumps of thistledown.

Fiction book (1994)
Four brooding hens and a rooster pecked around under the young mulberry tree.

Fiction book (1994)
As the bird landed on the tree branch, it began to peck at the bark for insects.
He watched the ducks peck at the bread crumbs tossed by the children in the park.

Synonyms

to take a bite

vsto peck

62 1.4

To eat a small piece of food or reduce something a little

refers to repeated quick small bites rather than a single taste

to nibble

vsto peck

55 2.0

To eat small, gentle bites slowly or a little at a time

is quicker and more bird-like rather than gentle or delicate biting

to have a bite

vsto peck

23 1.8

Eat a small amount of food as a quick snack

describes quick tiny bites repeatedly rather than a simple small meal

to snack on

vsto peck

15 2.5

To eat small amounts of food between meals

is about quick tiny bites resembling a bird, not meal timing

to graze

vsto peck

12 3.8

Eat small amounts of food during the day instead of a full meal

focuses on quick bird-like bites rather than continuous daytime eating

to pick

vsto peck

5 3.6

To eat small amounts and not finish a meal

describes faster, bird-like quick bites rather than just small portions

to pick at

vsto peck

2 4.6

Eat very small amounts of food when not feeling hungry

is more about quick tiny bites resembling a bird than low appetite

to eat like a bird

vsto peck

Informal

1 6.0

To eat only a very small amount of food

is about quick repeated small bites rather than low total food intake

to peck at

vsto peck

1 4.7

To eat only a little food and not show interest

focuses on quick, bird-like small bites rather than lack of interest

to nom

vsto peck

Slang

1 9.9

To eat something quickly and enjoy it

describes rapid bird-like small bites without the strong enjoyment tone

to pick up

vsto peck

1 4.0

To eat small bits of food by pecking like a bird

means the same quick bird-like biting action as the main term

to piece

vsto peck

1 9.9

To eat small amounts at different times

is specifically about quick, repeated bird-like pecking rather than occasional bites

Antonyms

to devour

92 3.9

To destroy or use up things quickly, for example when fire burns a building

to gorge

19 5.9

To eat a very large amount of food greedily

Phrasal Verbs

to peck at

1 4.7

To eat only a little food and not show interest

to hen-peck

Slur

1 8.5

To keep criticizing a partner about small things

How Much

to devour

15 2.9

to eat

∞ 1.0

to peck

6 3.4

to nibble

55 2.0

to pick at

2 4.6

Surface Forms

peck infinitive

pecked past

pecked past participle

pecking present participle

pecks third person singular

Etymology

Peck The verb meaning 'to eat food by taking small, quick bites' comes from watching birds take tiny bites with their beaks, and it is like the common word pick in the phrase 'pick at' your food, so to peck is to eat in small, light bites.