pick out

elegir, escoger

Elegir a una persona o una cosa entre varias opciones.

En inglés sencillo: To choose someone or something from a group or range of choices.

• Pick out a book you like.
• She picked out a blue dress for the party.
• Have you picked your birthday present out yet?

Cómo se usa: pick something out for someone (I picked out a book for my brother.)

Sinónimos: choose, select, pick

Expresiones frecuentes: pick out a dress, pick out a gift, pick out someone

distinguir, identificar

Reconocer a una persona o cosa concreta entre otras, incluso cuando resulta difícil.

En inglés sencillo: To recognize a particular person or thing among others, even when this is difficult.

• I picked him out in the crowd.
• Can you pick out your house in this photograph?
• She could barely pick out his voice above the traffic.

Cómo se usa: pick someone/something out in/from something (I picked her out in the crowd.)

Sinónimos: identify, recognize, distinguish

Expresiones frecuentes: pick out a face, pick out someone, pick out a sound, pick out a flavour

quitar, sacar

Sacar cosas pequeñas de algo, normalmente con los dedos.

En inglés sencillo: To remove small things from something, usually with your fingers.

• Pick out the fish bones.
• She picked tiny pieces of glass out of her sleeve.
• Have you picked all the seeds out?

Cómo se usa: pick something out of something (Pick the small stones out of the rice.)

Sinónimos: remove, extract

Expresiones frecuentes: pick out the bones, pick out small stones

tocar nota por nota

Tocar una melodía despacio, buscando cada nota mientras se toca.

En inglés sencillo: To play a tune slowly, finding the notes as you go.

• She picked out a tune on the piano.
• I can pick out the melody if you sing it again.
• He was picking out the notes with one finger.

Cómo se usa: pick out something on an instrument (He picked out a simple tune on the piano.)

Expresiones frecuentes: pick out a tune, pick out a melody

resaltar con color

Pintar pequeños detalles de otro color para que destaquen.

En inglés sencillo: To paint small details in a different colour so that they stand out.

• Pick out the edges in white.
• The artist picked out the carved leaves in pale green.
• The door’s lettering was picked out in gold.

Cómo se usa: pick something out in a colour (They picked the carved flowers out in gold.)

Sinónimos: highlight, accent

Expresiones frecuentes: pick out the details, pick out in gold