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

Nest owners react with immediate aggression, launching a flurry of pecks, flipper slaps and loud vocalizations aimed at the intruder. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025

The large bird, maybe feeling a little hangry, responds to the visitors' curiosity by leaning in and giving the former prime minister a feisty peck on the hand. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025

Verb

Some pine tree-nesting birds have been known to peck the tree trunk around the nest cavity so the sap will run down and protect the babies from climbing snakes. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2025

Even when the researchers stopped rewarding them with treats, the crows continued to peck the outliers. —Gayoung Lee, Scientific American, 11 Apr. 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)