picks

Picks is the plural of pick and can refer to several distinct categories of tools, implements, and informal terms. The most common senses are as a family of hand tools used to break or chip hard material, and as guitar picks used to pluck strings. The word also appears in sports or gaming contexts to denote selections or predictions.

In tools, a pick is a small, pointed or edged implement used to chip, pry, or strike. Rock picks and ice picks are common hand tools made of steel or other hard materials; a pickaxe is a larger tool with a pointed head and a blunt side and is used in mining and construction. Picks are designed to resist impact and to concentrate force along a sharp point.

In music, a guitar pick, or plec, is a small, flat wedge usually made of plastic, nylon, or materials like celluloid or wood. It is held between the thumb and index finger and struck against strings to produce sound. Thickness and shape influence tone, attack, and playability.

Other uses include predictions or selections for events, such as “picks” in betting or fantasy sports where individuals publish recommended game outcomes. In everyday language, picks may also refer to items chosen from a set or collection.