1
: a unit of capacity equal to ¹/₄ bushel see Weights and Measures Table
2
: a large quantity or number
pecked; pecking; pecks
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
2
: to eat reluctantly and in small bites
peck at food
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
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
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
One video shared to X (formerly Twitter) shows Rodrigo snapping a cute photo of Partridge, 21, while another captured him giving her an adorable peck on the forehead.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
James Grebey, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
When lowrider culture was in its nascent years, car builders pecked through scrap yards for airline hydraulics.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for peck 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
This isn’t the only gentleman-on-gentleman peck cut from the film.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
One video shared to X (formerly Twitter) shows Rodrigo snapping a cute photo of Partridge, 21, while another captured him giving her an adorable peck on the forehead.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
The rest of the family’s bodies are lying out on the Navarro ranch getting pecked by crows.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
When lowrider culture was in its nascent years, car builders pecked through scrap yards for airline hydraulics.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for peck
Articles Related to peck
Dictionary Entries Near peck
Cite this Entry
“Peck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peck. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
peck
2 of 3 verb1
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 noun1
: 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)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share