pickup

See also: Pickup, pick-up, and pick up

EnglishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

From pick +‎ up.

NounEdit

pickup (countable and uncountable, plural pickups)

An electronic device for detecting sound, vibration, etc., such as one fitted to an electric guitar or record player.
1. In a record player, an electromagnetic component that converts the needle vibrations into an electrical signal.
2. electromagnetic coil receiver of metal string oscillations
(US, Canada) A pickup truck.
(usually attributive) Impromptu or ad hoc, especially of sports games and teams made up of randomly selected players.
Rather than join a basketball league, James decided to play pickup.

At lunch we had a game of pickup hockey.
- 2010, Mary Ellen Snodgrass, Peter Carey: A Literary Companion (page 100)
  Trevor, like an Aussie outbacker, eats snacks and a pickup meal of bread, cantaloupe, olives, mangoes, and melon.
An instance of approaching someone and engaging in romantic flirtation and courting with the intent to pursue romance, a date, or a sexual encounter. See also pick-up line, pick-up joint, pickup artist.
Hey, thanks for the drink, but if this is a pickup, I'm not interested.
A person successfully approached in this manner for romance or sex.
- 1984, Steven Carter, What every man should know about the "new woman": a survival guide:
  But what about the women who still go to bars — are they completely unaffected by these negative connotations? Hardly. No woman wants to think of herself as being an easy pick-up […]
- 2002, James A. Abrahamson, Confessions of a Diplomatic Pouch Clerk (page 192)
  Audball's latest pickup didn't seem to care where they were, or anything at all about alimony, palimony, or child support […]
(sports) In various games, the fielding or hitting of a ball just after it strikes the ground.
- 2011 June 28, David Ornstein, “Wimbledon 2011: Victoria Azarenka beats Tamira Paszek in quarters”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:
  The fourth seed was dominating her 20-year-old opponent with a series of stinging groundstrokes and athletic drive-volleys, striking again in game five when Paszek flicked a forehand pick-up into the tramlines.
(video games) An item that can be picked up by the player, conferring some benefit or effect; a power-up.
- 1991, James Leach, Turrican II (video game review) in Your Sinclair issue 69
  Every step of the way you come across absolutely loads of aliens, pick-ups and new and weird obstacles to overcome.
- 2002, Acclaim Entertainment, Turok Evolution: The official strategy guide (page 73)
  Enter the graveyard if you want pick-ups, otherwise make a left under the archways to progress. When the pathway ends, you'll see two blocked-off tunnels and a switch between them.
(US, Canada) The act of a challenging party or candidate winning an electoral district held by an incumbent party or candidate. See also gain
The returns from the election show Apple Party candidate Jane Doe has made a pickup in the district of City West defeating Orange Party Incumbent Joe Smith
The act of answering a telephone.
- 2006, Georgina Spelvin, The Devil Made Me Do It, Little Red Hen Books (2008), →ISBN, page 224:
  That's why the phone at the theater's on automatic pickup.
(film) A relatively minor shot filmed or recorded after the fact to augment previous footage.
The act of collecting and taking away something or someone, usually in a vehicle.
- 2020 March 18, Cindy Gonzalez, “Blackstone District starts emergency fund to aid the neighborhood's bar, restaurant servers”, in Omaha World-Herald‎^[2]:
  Owner Philip Schaffart said a precoronavirus Tuesday typically brought in $2,500 in revenue. This past Tuesday, he said, that amount dwindled to $300 as his place was open only for pickup and delivery.
(uncountable) A time during which passengers, such as school children, are picked up.
- 2021 February 1, Living in Brisbane, page 1:
  These signs are friendly reminders for road users to slow down during drop-off and pick-up.