verb / noun
peck
PEK/pek/
A bird's strike or picking action with its beak.
A hen pecks at a grain on the ground.
Etymology
Middle English pekken already meant striking with a bird's beak. It may be a variant of picken, “to peck,” though a contribution from Middle Low German is also possible.
In context
when I attempt to catch any of these birds they would boldly turn against me endeavoring to Peck my fingers
More examples
- The hen gives my hand a sharp peck.
- Woodpeckers peck holes in tree trunks.
- With little appetite, he pecks at his lunch.
Forms
peck · pecks · pecked · pecking