pickup

noun17

1. •
   The act of collecting and taking away something or someone, usually in a vehicle.

   • A computer voice tells her that she is supposed to make a pickup in Griffith Park and deliver it to a Reverend Wayne's Pearly Gates franchise in Van Nuys. — 2011
2. •
   Ellipsis of pickup truck.

   • Franklin is beside himself, revving up the engine in the pickup. — 2009
3. •
   A time during which passengers, such as school children, are picked up.

   • These signs are friendly reminders for road users to slow down during drop-off and pick-up. — 2021
4. •
   An electronic device for detecting sound, vibration, etc., such as one fitted to an electric guitar or record player.
5. •
   In a record player, an electromagnetic component that converts the needle vibrations into an electrical signal.
6. •
   Electromagnetic coil receiver of metal string oscillations.
7. •
   [before a noun] Impromptu or ad hoc, especially of sports games and teams made up of randomly selected players.

   • Rather than join a basketball league, James decided to play pickup.
   • At lunch we had a game of pickup hockey.
8. •
   (informal) An instance of approaching someone and engaging in romantic flirtation and courting with the intent to pursue romance, a date, or a sexual encounter.

   • Hey, thanks for the drink, but if this is a pickup, I'm not interested.
9. •
   (informal) A person successfully approached in this manner for romance or sex.

   • "Good Lord! I'm not stopping you from taking on all the pick-ups that come your way." — 1950
10. •
    An item that can be picked up by the player, conferring some benefit or effect; a power-up.

    • Every step of the way you come across absolutely loads of aliens, pick-ups and new and weird obstacles to overcome. — 1991
11. •
    The rate at which a motor vehicle picks up speed.

    • The more highly vaporized the mixture your carburetor delivers, the more power you get, which means higher speed, better pickup, smoother idling, more miles per gallon. — 1955
12. •
    The reception of sound, etc. by such a device.

    • This microphone has very weak pickup.
13. •
    The act of answering a telephone.

    • That's why the phone at the theater's on automatic pickup. — 2006
14. •
    The condition of being picked up, or taken up; adoption by some entity.

    • Newsweek gave it a big write-up, as did many trade journals, including, ^([sic]) Editor and Publisher. And our articles get pickup as far west as the Tombstone Epitaph in Arizona. — 1987
15. •
    (US, Canada) The act of a challenging party or candidate winning an electoral district held by an incumbent party or candidate.

    • The returns from the election show Apple Party candidate Jane Doe has made a pickup in the district of City West defeating Orange Party Incumbent Joe Smith
16. •
    A relatively minor shot filmed or recorded after the fact to augment previous footage.
17. •
    In various games, the fielding or hitting of a ball just after it strikes the ground.