pick up on | Idiomator

Meaning: (transitive,idiomatic)Tonotice,observe,learn, orunderstand, especially something otherwiseoverlooked.1882,Charlotte M. Yonge, chapter 18, inMagnum Bonum; or, Mother Carey's Brood:"Remember, I know more about it than only what youpicked up onthat morning."1980,Norman Spinrad,The Mind Game,page22:No wonder I didn'tpick up onwhat was happening.1999December 12, Andrew Goldstein, “The Victims: Never Again”, inTime:Why didn't the police or the schoolpick up onthe killers' warning signs?2011Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1):Patrick: Well, maybe you're just too smart for everybody.Allen Gregory DeLongpre: Hmm, that's a good point, Pete. You pick up on stuff, don't you?Patrick: I don't know. It's Patrick, though.Allen Gregory: I don't care.2011May 11, Arthur S. Brisbane, “The Other Torture Debate”, inNew York Times, retrieved24 May 2011:Readers and bloggers alertlypicked up onthe nuances of language, and what some called the inconsistencies.2023August 23, “Network News: RAIB cites driver fatigue as factor in 28mph collision”, inRAIL, number990, page13:Making recommendations to GBRf to improve its fatigue management, RAIB notes that GBRf missed an opportunity topick up onthe driver's potential fatigue.; (transitive,idiomatic)Tocontinueorbuild upon(for example, a task, analysis, or narrative), beginning from a point at which someone has previouslystopped.2009October 31, Neil Harman, “Caroline Wozniacki reaches semi-finals”, inTimes Online, UK, retrieved24 May 2011:Andy Murray has landed in Valencia for next week’s ATP tournament topick up onhis interrupted year, six weeks after the Davis Cup tie against Poland when he played three times in successive days and exacerbated the damage to his left wrist.; (transitive,idiomatic)Toadopta practice in which others already engage.2004September 16, Patrick Saunders, “Eye on the Jaguars”, inDenver Post, pageD10:"What you've got to do is, you've got to study the guy and try topick up onhis techniques, try to pick up what he's real good at."2010June 30, Justin Bergman, “China's TV Dating Shows: For Love or Money?”, inTime:China was slow topick up onthe reality-TV trend.

Examples:

EN: - Risky, storms pick up on this little old lake.
ES: Es arriesgado, las tormentas aumentan en este lago.
EN: A phony, you see, giving all the details, which you will pick up on the shortwave set.
ES: Un seguimiento, ¿entiendes? Para dar todos los detalles.
EN: I'm anxious to get. I'm most frightfully bored with the usual conglomeration of pieces that we can pick up on the other side.
ES: Lo cierto es que estoy aburrido de las piezas vulgares que se encuentran por todas partes.
EN: What a thing to pick up on the street...
ES: Vaya cosa para recoger en la calle.
EN: - Hey Joe, pick up on that slack a little.
ES: - Eh, Joe, tensa un poco esa cuerda.
EN: By the time we get to Sacramento counting rebel sympathizers we'll pick up on the way, we'll be close to a thousand.
ES: En Sacramento, simpatizantes rebeldes se unirán y seremos una centena.
EN: Whatever you pick up on the open range is yours.
ES: Lo que sea que capturen en territorio libre, será suyo.
EN: - Pops, do you pick up on this jive?
ES: - Pops, ¿ llevas el ritmo dentro?
EN: Like a dog you pick up on the street, like a criminal.
ES: Como a un perro que atraparais en la calle, como un criminal.
EN: - Hey, hey, hey, pick up on this.
ES: - Oigan, oigan, miren esto.
EN: - Let's pick up on the cues faster.
ES: - Hagamos la entrada más rápido.
EN: Later on, you know, I'm going to pick up on some chick.
ES: Más tarde, si tal, voy a buscar una chica.
EN: Oh, the nuts you pick up on the road.
ES: - Oh! , los locos que se encuentra en las rutas
EN: Wind noise. What did we ever pick up on radar?
ES: Partículas de polvo.
EN: - I'll put a pick up on him--
ES: - Iré a por una orden de detención.

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