What is "to pick a quarrel"

Pick \Pick\ (p[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Picked (p[i^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Picking.] [OE. picken, pikken, to prick, peck; akin to Icel. pikka, Sw. picka, Dan. pikke, D. pikken, G. picken, F. piquer, W. pigo. Cf. Peck, v., Pike, Pitch to throw.]

1. To throw; to pitch. [Obs.]

   As high as I could pick my lance.
   --Shak.

2. To peck at, as a bird with its beak; to strike at with anything pointed; to act upon with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to prick, as with a pin.

3. To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points; as, to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc.

4. To open (a lock) as by a wire.

5. To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc.

6. To remove something from with a pointed instrument, with the fingers, or with the teeth; as, to pick the teeth; to pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket.

   Did you pick Master Slender's purse?
   --Shak.

   He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems With an old tavern quill, is hungry yet.
   --Cowper.

7. To choose; to select; to separate as choice or desirable; to cull; as, to pick one's company; to pick one's way; -- often with out. ``One man picked out of ten thousand.''
   --Shak.

8. To take up; esp., to gather from here and there; to collect; to bring together; as, to pick rags; -- often with up; as, to pick up a ball or stones; to pick up information.

9. To trim. [Obs.] --Chaucer. To pick at, to tease or vex by pertinacious annoyance. To pick a bone with. See under Bone. To pick a thank, to curry favor. [Obs.] --Robynson (More's Utopia). To pick off.

   1. To pluck; to remove by picking.

   2. To shoot or bring down, one by one; as, sharpshooters pick off the enemy. To pick out.

      1. To mark out; to variegate; as, to pick out any dark stuff with lines or spots of bright colors.

      2. To select from a number or quantity. To pick to pieces, to pull apart piece by piece; hence [Colloq.], to analyze; esp., to criticize in detail. To pick a quarrel, to give occasion of quarrel intentionally. To pick up.

         1. To take up, as with the fingers.

         2. To get by repeated efforts; to gather here and there; as, to pick up a livelihood; to pick up news.

Quarrel \Quar"rel\, n. [OE. querele, OF. querele, F. querelle, fr. L. querela, querella, a complaint, fr. queri to complain. See Querulous.]

1. A breach of concord, amity, or obligation; a falling out; a difference; a disagreement; an antagonism in opinion, feeling, or conduct; esp., an angry dispute, contest, or strife; a brawl; an altercation; as, he had a quarrel with his father about expenses.

   I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant.
   --Lev. xxvi. 25.

   On open seas their quarrels they debate.
   --Dryden.

2. Ground of objection, dislike, difference, or hostility; cause of dispute or contest; occasion of altercation.

   Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him.
   --Mark vi. 19.

   No man hath any quarrel to me.
   --Shak.

   He thought he had a good quarrel to attack him.
   --Holinshed.

3. Earnest desire or longing. [Obs.]
   --Holland.

   To pick a quarrel. See under Pick, v. t.

   Syn: Brawl; broil; squabble; affray; feud; tumult; contest; dispute; altercation; contention; wrangle.