pick-off

[ pik-awf, -of ]

noun

1. Baseball. a play in which a base runner, caught off base, is tagged out by an infielder on a quick throw, usually from the pitcher or catcher.
2. Electronics. a mechanism that senses mechanical motion and produces a corresponding electric signal.

pick off

verb

1. tr, adverb to aim at and shoot one by one

Word History and Origins

Origin of pick-off¹

First recorded in 1935–40; noun use of verb phrase pick off

Idioms and Phrases

Shoot after singling out, as in The hunter picked off the ducks one by one . [Early 1800s]

Example Sentences

New Zealand flanker Dalton Papali'i had just picked off his pass and cantered in to give New Zealand a seven-point head start.

From BBC

Jared Goff gets picked off five times and the Lions still win?

From Los Angeles Times

Orange Lutheran picked off three passes on defense, Cuneo making the last on a tumbling interception in the end zone for a touchback with 4:10 left.

From Los Angeles Times

They ran from deep within their own half after picking off a Ramm pass while Saints were pushing forward.

From BBC

The pass was picked off, and the Trojans lost in overtime.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blast
• execute
• explode
• fire
• hit
• hurl
• kill
• launch
• murder
• open fire