Pickup: meaning, definitions and examples

Also refers to the act of meeting someone new with a romantic or sexual interest, commonly used in casual or modern contexts, sometimes with a slight negative or opportunistic implication.

• A lot of people go to clubs looking for a pickup.
• She's tired of the usual pickups and desires a deeper connection.

Implies a short-term, playful, and often carefree romantic or sexual relationship. Often used to describe a temporary relationship with no long-term commitment, generally with a positive or neutral connotation.

• Their summer fling ended when they returned to their respective cities.
• She said she enjoyed the fling, but didn't see it going anywhere serious.

Describes a brief, often spontaneous interaction, typically involving some sort of intimate connection. Used in more formal or clinical settings, sometimes in discussions about the dating scene or casual relationships.

• They had a casual encounter at a conference, and decided to stay in touch.
• The article discusses the rise of casual encounters in modern dating culture.

Refers to a brief and often spontaneous sexual encounter. It carries a more casual and sometimes slightly negative connotation, often used among younger adults.

• They had a hookup after the party and never spoke again.
• Apps nowadays make finding a hookup easier than ever.

Refers to a small truck with an open rear cargo area, often used for personal transportation and light hauling. Popular in both urban and rural settings.

• John uses his pickup to transport garden supplies; The roads were filled with pickups and SUVs during the morning commute

A general term primarily used in American English to describe any large motor vehicle for transporting goods. Can refer to both light and heavy-duty vehicles.

• Mike drives a truck for a living; The truck was loaded with fresh produce from the farm

A medium-sized vehicle, often enclosed, used for transporting goods or groups of people. Suitable for both personal and commercial use, especially for delivery services or family trips.

• The delivery van arrived with the new appliances; They rented a van for their weekend trip

Commonly used in British English to describe a large, heavy motor vehicle for transporting goods. Suitable for discussions involving logistics and commercial transport.

• The lorry delivered the furniture to the store; The highway was full of lorries carrying goods to different parts of the country

This term can also refer to a type of truck, often used for tasks involving transportation and heavy lifting.

• He drives a pickup for his construction job
• They used a pickup to move the furniture

This implies a more deliberate and often repeated action. It is used when obtaining items or information over a period of time.

• She loves to collect stamps from different countries
• They collect data for their research every month

This is used when bringing together multiple items or people, usually in a more formal or organized manner. It can imply a collective effort.

• We need to gather everyone for a meeting
• They gather information from various sources

This is used to describe the action of going somewhere to get something and bringing it back. It often implies going a little out of your way and can sometimes have an old-fashioned tone.

• Can you fetch me a glass of water? The dog loves to fetch the ball