pick up

gather or collect

“You can get the results on Monday”

“She picked up the children at the day care center”

“They pick up our trash twice a week”

get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally

“I learned that she has two grown-up children”

“I see that you have been promoted”

get in addition, as an increase

“The candidate picked up thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home”

take into custody

“the police nabbed the suspected criminals”

buy casually or spontaneously

“I picked up some food for a snack”

commerce

register (perceptual input)

“pick up a signal”

lift out or reflect from a background

“The scarf picks up the color of the skirt”

“His eyes picked up his smile”

meet someone for sexual purposes

“he always tries to pick up girls in bars”

fill with high spirits; fill with optimism

“Music can uplift your spirits”

improve significantly; go from bad to good

“Her performance in school picked up”

perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily

“I caught the aroma of coffee”

“He caught the allusion in her glance”

“ears open to catch every sound”

“The dog picked up the scent”

“Catch a glimpse”

eat by pecking at, like a bird

gain or regain energy

“I picked up after a nap”