peck

verb

/pek/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they peck	/pek/ /pek/
he / she / it pecks	/peks/ /peks/
past simple pecked	/pekt/ /pekt/
past participle pecked	/pekt/ /pekt/
-ing form pecking	/ˈpekɪŋ/ /ˈpekɪŋ/

jump to other results

[intransitive, transitive] (of birds鳥) to move the beak forward quickly and hit or bite something啄；鹐
- peck (at something) A robin was pecking at crumbs on the ground.一只知更鳥在地上啄食面包渣。
- Hens pecked around in the yard.母雞在院子裏啄食。
- peck something A bird had pecked a hole in the sack.一只鳥把袋子啄了個洞。
- peck something out Vultures had pecked out the dead goat's eyes.秃鹫啄出了死羊的眼睛。
see also hunt-and-peckTopics Birdsc2
[transitive] (informal) to kiss somebody lightly and quickly匆匆地輕吻
- peck somebody on something He pecked her on the cheek as he went out.他出門時匆匆輕吻了一下她的面頰。
- peck something She pecked his cheek.她輕吻了一下他的臉。

Word Originlate Middle English: of unknown origin; compare with Middle Low German pekken ‘peck (with the beak)’.

Idioms

a/the pecking order

(informal, often humorous) the order of importance in relation to one another among the members of a group等級排序 synonym hierarchy
- New Zealand is at the top of the pecking order of rugby nations.新西蘭在橄欖球國家中首屈一指。
- to be first in the pecking order排名第一

noun

/pek/

jump to other results

(informal) a quick kiss匆匆的吻
- He gave her a friendly peck on the cheek.他友好地在她臉上輕輕一吻。
an act of pecking somebody/something啄
- The budgerigar gave a quick peck at the seed.虎皮鹦鹉匆匆地啄了一下種子。
Topics Birdsc2

Word Originlate Middle English: of unknown origin; compare with Middle Low German pekken ‘peck (with the beak)’.

TOEFL BNC: 12244 COCA: 14442

peck