pick at

pick at (one)

To nag, hassle, or berate one, or to be very critical of or negative about one.

My wife has been picking at me constantly ever since I lost my job.

Why are you always picking at Jimmy? You know how sensitive he is.

pick at (something)

1. To pull at something with one’s fingertips.

If you keep picking at those scabs, that scrape is never going to heal!

I always pick at the bottom of my shirt when I get nervous like that.

2. To eat a small amount of food in tiny bites and without much interest.

You could tell Billy was sick because he only picked at his dinner and then went right to bed.

Why are you picking at your food like that? Did you eat something earlier and spoil your appetite?

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.