pick off

abattre un à un

Tirer sur des personnes ou des animaux un à un, en visant soigneusement chacun.

En anglais simple : To shoot people or animals separately by aiming carefully at each one.

• The sniper picked off two soldiers.
• They were picking off enemy fighters from the tower.
• Hunters picked the animals off one by one.

Comment l'utiliser : pick someone off (The sniper picked the soldiers off as they crossed the field.)

Synonymes : shoot

Expressions courantes : pick off someone, pick off enemy soldiers

enlever, détacher

Retirer avec les doigts une petite chose posée ou fixée sur une surface.

En anglais simple : To remove a small thing from a surface using your fingers.

• Pick off the loose threads.
• She picked a small insect off her sleeve.
• Can you pick the label off without tearing it?

Comment l'utiliser : pick something off something (She picked the sticker off the jar.); pick something off (He picked it off with his fingernail.)

Synonymes : pluck off, remove

Expressions courantes : pick off something, pick off a label

intercepter

Attraper un ballon destiné à un adversaire avant qu’il ne lui parvienne.

En anglais simple : To catch a ball intended for an opponent before it reaches them.

• She picked off the pass.
• A defender picked off his throw and ran downfield.
• The quarterback had two passes picked off yesterday.

Comment l'utiliser : pick something off (The defender picked the pass off near the goal.)

Synonymes : intercept

Expressions courantes : pick off a pass, pick off the ball

éliminer un à un

Résoudre des problèmes ou vaincre des adversaires séparément, l’un après l’autre.

En anglais simple : To deal with problems or defeat opponents separately, one at a time.

• We picked off the easiest tasks first.
• She picked off her weaker opponents early in the tournament.
• Can we pick off these problems one at a time?

Comment l'utiliser : pick someone/something off (They picked their rivals off one by one.)

Synonymes : eliminate, deal with

Expressions courantes : pick off opponents, pick off something

retirer un coureur hors de sa base

Au baseball, éliminer un coureur hors base en lançant à un équipier qui le touche avant son retour.

En anglais simple : In baseball, to get a runner out by throwing to a teammate who touches them before they reach base.

• The pitcher picked off the runner.
• She tried to pick him off at first base.
• He was picked off before he could steal second.

Comment l'utiliser : pick someone off at a base (The pitcher picked the runner off at second base.)

Synonymes : put out

Expressions courantes : pick off someone, pick off a runner

retrait d'un coureur hors base

Action de baseball qui élimine un coureur alors qu’il est éloigné d’une base.

En anglais simple : A baseball play that gets a runner out while they are away from a base.

• The pick off ended the inning.
• A quick pick off caught the runner at first base.
• The pitcher attempted another pick off in the seventh inning.

Synonymes : pickoff

Expressions courantes : a successful pick off, attempt a pick off