peck

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈpek 

1

: a unit of capacity equal to ¹/₄ bushel see Weights and Measures Table

2

: a large quantity or number

peck

2 of 3

verb

pecked; pecking; pecks

transitive verb

1

a

: to strike or pierce especially repeatedly with the bill or a pointed tool

b

: to make by pecking

peck a hole

2

: to pick up with the bill

intransitive verb

1

a

: to strike, pierce, or pick up something with or as if with the bill

b

: carp, nag

2

: to eat reluctantly and in small bites

peck at food

peck

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: an impression or hole made by pecking

2

: a quick sharp stroke

3

: a quick light kiss

a peck on the cheek

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• abundance
• barrel
• basketful
• boatload
• bucket
• bunch
• bundle
• bushel
• carload
• chunk
• deal
• dozen
• fistful
• gobs
• good deal
• heap
• hundred
• lashings [chiefly British]
• lashins
• loads
• lot
• mass
• mess
• mountain
• much
• multiplicity
• myriad
• oodles
• pack
• passel
• pile
• plateful
• plenitude
• plentitude
• plenty
• pot
• potful
• profusion
• quantity
• raft
• reams
• scads
• sheaf
• shipload
• sight
• slew
• spate
• stack
• store
• ton
• truckload
• volume
• wad
• wealth
• yard

Verb

• nibble
• pick

Examples of peck in a Sentence

Noun (1)

now you're in a peck of trouble

Verb

The hen pecked my finger.

The woodpecker pecked a hole in the tree.

He pecked his wife on the cheek as he headed out the door.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Boris Johnson, the former British prime minister, was cruising slowly through what appeared to be a wildlife park when, without warning, the ostrich stuck its head through the open driver’s side window to give Mr. Johnson a feisty peck. —Livia Albeck-Ripka, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

Somehow that’s not good enough, and the peck becomes a real kiss. —Dan Heching, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025

Verb

Whether on islands today, or larger continents during prehistory, big birds evolved wherever such flightless giants could peck out a niche for themselves. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2025

Pigeons appear almost instantly, pecking so avidly that dozens of individual bread cubes go flying into the air above the mass of birds like popping popcorn. —Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English pek, from Anglo-French

Verb

Middle English, perhaps from Middle Low German pekken

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

circa 1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing peck

• hunt-and-peck
• peck at
• peck order

Rhymes for peck

• beck
• breck
• check
• cheque
• czech
• deck
• fleck
• keck
• mech
• neck
• reck
• sec

Kids Definition

peck

1 of 3 noun

ˈpek 

1

: a unit of capacity equal to ¼ bushel see measure

2

: a large quantity

a peck of trouble

peck

2 of 3 verb

1

a

: to strike with the bill : thrust the beak into

b

: to make by pecking

peck holes

2

: to strike with a sharp instrument (as a pick)

3

: to pick up with the bill

a chicken pecking corn

4

: to bite daintily : nibble

peck at one's food

peck

3 of 3 noun

1

: a mark or hole made by pecking

2

: a quick sharp stroke

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pek "unit of measure," from early French pek (same meaning)

Verb

Middle English pecken "to strike or pierce repeatedly," perhaps from early German pekken (same meaning)