picket
/ˈpɪkɪt/
noun
- A pointed wooden or metal stake used as part of a fence.
- The white picket fence needed a new picket after the storm.
- Each picket was painted to match the rest of the fence.
- He hammered a picket into the ground to mark the boundary.
- A person or group of people standing outside a workplace or building to protest something, often during a strike.
- Union members held a picket to demand better wages.
- The workers formed a picket outside the factory gates.
- The picket carried signs asking customers not to shop there.
- A soldier or group of soldiers assigned to guard a position or watch for the enemy.
- The commander sent out a picket to scout the area.
- The picket reported movement in the forest.
- A picket was posted on the hill to watch for approaching troops.
verb
- To stand or walk outside a building as part of a protest, especially during a strike.
- They plan to picket the mayor's office next week.
- Employees decided to picket the store after contract talks failed.
- Hundreds of teachers gathered to picket the school board meeting.
- To enclose or mark an area with pointed stakes.
- We need to picket the campsite to keep animals away.
- The farmer picketed the pasture with wooden posts.
- They picketed the garden to keep out deer.
- To post a guard or sentry.
- The general picketed the perimeter with armed soldiers.
- They picketed the bridge to prevent surprise attacks.
- The scouts were picketed along the ridge.