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Glite Dictionary
to pick someone's brain

to pick someone's brain

3.8
To ask someone for ideas or advice about something they know well
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : consultar
  • Uh, can I pick your brain for a second?

Examples

  • I was thinking of putting together just a little test-prep group for the class... ...and I was hoping I could pick your brain about what to focus on...

    Valentine's Day (2010)

  • Like, I know you're probably so over talking about it, but I would love to sit down with you and... over coffee or something, you know, and just pick your brain.

    Spinning Man (2018)

  • And you let us pick your brain about what happened that day.

    Dark Places (2015)

  • Well, I'll have to pick your brain later.

    The Chateau Meroux (2011)

  • The others would love to pick your brain, Franklin.

    The Dead Matter (2010)

  • I'd really like to pick your brain, see what makes that mind of yours tick.

    My Suicide (2009)

  • I'd love to pick your brain because we need people like you over at WorryFree.

    Sorry to Bother You (2018)

  • I will tell you what, why don't you come by sometime and you can pick my brain on famous artists and I can get to know a little bit more about one of my favorite artists.

    Water in a Broken Glass (2018)

  • Oh, I was just wonderin' if maybe you wanted to, like, get a drink sometime, talk shop, let me pick your brain a little bit, that sort of thing?

    California No (2018)

  • Can I pick your brain about your experience in the industry?

Synonyms

to ask
vsto pick someone's brain
∞ 1.0

To request information or an answer from someone

targets someone specifically for their ideas and detailed knowledge not any question
to question
vsto pick someone's brain
570 1.0

To ask someone questions to get information

seeks ideas and advice rather than testing or quizzing knowledge
to consult
vsto pick someone's brain
292 3.5

Ask a person or book for advice before deciding

asks an individual informally for ideas and detailed knowledge
to bounce ideas off
vsto pick someone's brain
  • Informal
8 3.9

To tell someone your ideas to get their feedback and suggestions

asks for another person's knowledge and advice instead of sharing ideas together
to sound out
vsto pick someone's brain
2 4.4

Try to find out what someone thinks by asking indirect questions

asks directly for ideas and detailed advice rather than testing views indirectly

How Direct

to interview
862 2.7
to pick someone's brain
  • Informal
3.8
to ask
∞ 1.0
to consult
292 3.5

Surface Forms

pick someone's brain infinitive
picked someone's brain past
picked someone's brain past participle
picking someone's brain present participle
picks someone's brain third person singular

Morphology

pick + someone's + brain

The components 'pick' (take/choose) and 'brain' (knowledge/intelligence) combine to produce a clear metaphor of taking someone's knowledge, so a learner who knows the words can often infer that it means asking for ideas or advice. However, the phrasing is metaphorical and idiomatic rather than a literal compositional action, so the precise pragmatic meaning and usage may not be fully predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Pick someone's brain may come from the image of taking ideas like fruit from someone's brain, with pick showing the act of choosing or taking. So it means 'to ask someone for ideas or advice'.