pickup

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The act or process of picking up.
• noun Sports The act of striking or fielding a ball after it has touched the ground.
• noun Capacity for acceleration.
• noun Informal An improvement in condition or activity.
• noun Slang An arrest by a law enforcement officer.
• noun One that is picked up, especially.
• noun Passengers or freight.
• noun Informal A hitchhiker.
• noun Slang A stranger with whom casual acquaintance is made, usually in anticipation of sexual relations.
• noun Accounting A balance brought forward.
• noun Previous journalistic copy to which succeeding copy is added.
• noun One that picks up, especially.
• noun A pickup truck.
• noun The rotary rake on a piece of machinery, such as a harvester, that picks up windrowed hay or straw.
• noun A transducer that converts vibrations, as of a phonograph needle or guitar string, into electrical impulses for subsequent conversion into sound.
• noun The tone arm of a record player.
• noun The reception of light or sound waves for conversion to electrical impulses.
• noun The apparatus used for such reception.
• noun A telecast originating outside a studio.
• noun The apparatus for transmitting a broadcast from an outside place to the broadcasting station.
• adjective Being, relating to, or involving a group of people assembled informally for a temporary purpose.

from The Century Dictionary.

• Composed of such things or fragments as are immediately available, or can be got together; “scratch”: as, a pick-up dinner.
• noun In printing, types already composed and previously used, claimed by the type-setter as his own composition.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun Act of picking up, as, in various games, the fielding or hitting of a ball just after it strikes the ground.
• noun (Elec.) That which picks up
• noun One that is picked up, as a meal hastily got up for the occasion, a chance acquaintance, an informal game, etc.
• noun a social companion for the evening who is met without prior arrangement, as at a singles bar; also, the act of joining with such a companion in that fashion.
• noun (Automobiles) acceleration; a measure of the ability of a vehicle to accelerate.
• noun (Electronics) a component of a phonograph which contains the stylus and also components for converting the vibrations of the stylus into electrical impulses for subsequent processing into sound; often referred to as a cartridge; also, the process of converting vibrations into electrical impulses.
• noun (Electronics) the conversion of sound or light into electrical signals in a sound or image recording or transmitting device.
• noun (Vehicles) a small truck having an enclosed driver's compartment (cab) but an open rear with usually low sides and a tailgate. Also called pickup truck.
• noun a hitchhiker who has been picked up.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun An electronic device for detecting sound, vibration, etc., such as one fitted to an electric guitar or record player.
• noun US, Canada A pickup truck.
• noun attributive Impromptu or ad hoc, especially of sports games.
• noun An instance of approaching someone and engaging in romantic flirtation and courting with the intent to pursue romance, a date, or a sexual encounter. See also pick-up line, pick-up joint, pickup artist.
• noun video games An item that can be picked up by the player, conferring some benefit or effect; a power-up.
• noun US, Canada The act of a challenging party or candidate winning an electoral district held by an incumbent party or candidate. See also gain
• noun The act of answering a telephone.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• verb get in addition, as an increase
• verb eat by pecking at, like a bird
• verb fill with high spirits; fill with optimism
• verb get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
• verb take into custody
• verb register (perceptual input)
• verb lift out or reflect from a background