peck

/pɛk/
noun
  1. A quick, light strike or bite with a bird's beak.
    • The pigeon gave my hand a sharp peck.
    • The chicken's peck left a small mark on the apple.
    • I felt a tiny peck on my shoulder from the curious crow.
  2. A light, quick kiss.
    • A friendly peck on the cheek is a common greeting in some cultures.
    • She gave him a peck on the lips and ran off to catch the bus.
    • He offered a peck of goodbye, but she wanted a real hug.
  3. A unit of dry volume used for measuring crops, equal to 2 gallons or about 9 liters.
    • The recipe called for a peck of shelled peas.
    • We bought a peck of potatoes for the winter.
    • The farmer sold a peck of apples at the market.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To strike or bite with the beak, as a bird does.
    • The hen pecked at the corn scattered on the ground.
    • A woodpecker pecked a hole in the tree trunk.
    • The parrot gently pecked my finger when I offered it a treat.
  2. To eat in small, quick bites, often without enthusiasm.
    • She just pecked at her salad, not feeling very hungry.
    • The toddler pecked at his dinner, pushing the peas around the plate.
    • Instead of a full meal, he pecked at some crackers and cheese.
  3. To kiss someone lightly and quickly.
    • They pecked each other goodbye at the train station.
    • She gave her grandmother a quick peck on the forehead.
    • He pecked his wife on the cheek before leaving for work.
What does "peck" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean