What is the meaning of “pick up” in this sentence? [closed]
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We had thought the turnout for these events would pick up, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does this sentence equal to:
We had thought the turnout for these events would increase, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Or:
We had thought the turnout for these events would meet our expectations, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does pick up, in this sentence, equal to increase or to meet the expectations?
phrase-meaning sentence-meaning phrase-usage
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
closed as off-topic by David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair Mar 8 at 13:33
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Basic questions on spelling, meaning or pronunciation are off-topic as they should be answered using a dictionary. See: Policy for questions that are entirely answerable with a dictionary" – David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair
add a comment |
We had thought the turnout for these events would pick up, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does this sentence equal to:
We had thought the turnout for these events would increase, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Or:
We had thought the turnout for these events would meet our expectations, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does pick up, in this sentence, equal to increase or to meet the expectations?
phrase-meaning sentence-meaning phrase-usage
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
closed as off-topic by David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair Mar 8 at 13:33
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Basic questions on spelling, meaning or pronunciation are off-topic as they should be answered using a dictionary. See: Policy for questions that are entirely answerable with a dictionary" – David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
Mar 3 at 20:54
add a comment |
We had thought the turnout for these events would pick up, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does this sentence equal to:
We had thought the turnout for these events would increase, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Or:
We had thought the turnout for these events would meet our expectations, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does pick up, in this sentence, equal to increase or to meet the expectations?
phrase-meaning sentence-meaning phrase-usage
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
We had thought the turnout for these events would pick up, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does this sentence equal to:
We had thought the turnout for these events would increase, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Or:
We had thought the turnout for these events would meet our expectations, but it's really lagged behind our estimates.
Does pick up, in this sentence, equal to increase or to meet the expectations?
phrase-meaning sentence-meaning phrase-usage
phrase-meaning sentence-meaning phrase-usage
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
asked Mar 3 at 20:47
Ally FeAlly Fe
798
798
closed as off-topic by David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair Mar 8 at 13:33
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Basic questions on spelling, meaning or pronunciation are off-topic as they should be answered using a dictionary. See: Policy for questions that are entirely answerable with a dictionary" – David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair
closed as off-topic by David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair Mar 8 at 13:33
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Basic questions on spelling, meaning or pronunciation are off-topic as they should be answered using a dictionary. See: Policy for questions that are entirely answerable with a dictionary" – David Richerby, shin, Hellion, Davo, Varun Nair
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
Mar 3 at 20:54
add a comment |
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
Mar 3 at 20:54
1
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
Mar 3 at 20:54
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
Mar 3 at 20:54
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
It means increase, in the context of a quantity, but specifically to increase from a disappointingly low level, or surprisingly low level, or inconveniently low level.
It's used when things are/were lower than you want/wanted them to be, basically.
The "lagged behind our estimates" bit refers to the fact they thought it would increase, but it didn't.
In general, it can mean to improve, though only in cases where any quantity involved is going up. If something improves by going down (such as a crime rate), you wouldn't use it. But someone's health can pick up as well.
You may also come across it meaning something increasing even when that is a bad thing, but that's far more unusual. I might even go as far as to call it exceptional, but I have seen it.
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
The general meaning of "to pick up" is "to improve," or "to become better," but in the context of the OP's example "improve" obviously has the same meaning as "increase".
– alephzero
Mar 3 at 23:42
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
Mar 4 at 0:34
4
I'd say that in my experience, at least, something "picking up" implies an accelerating improvement. It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it gives me that impression.
– Hearth
Mar 4 at 2:38
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It means increase, in the context of a quantity, but specifically to increase from a disappointingly low level, or surprisingly low level, or inconveniently low level.
It's used when things are/were lower than you want/wanted them to be, basically.
The "lagged behind our estimates" bit refers to the fact they thought it would increase, but it didn't.
In general, it can mean to improve, though only in cases where any quantity involved is going up. If something improves by going down (such as a crime rate), you wouldn't use it. But someone's health can pick up as well.
You may also come across it meaning something increasing even when that is a bad thing, but that's far more unusual. I might even go as far as to call it exceptional, but I have seen it.
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
The general meaning of "to pick up" is "to improve," or "to become better," but in the context of the OP's example "improve" obviously has the same meaning as "increase".
– alephzero
Mar 3 at 23:42
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
Mar 4 at 0:34
4
I'd say that in my experience, at least, something "picking up" implies an accelerating improvement. It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it gives me that impression.
– Hearth
Mar 4 at 2:38
add a comment |
It means increase, in the context of a quantity, but specifically to increase from a disappointingly low level, or surprisingly low level, or inconveniently low level.
It's used when things are/were lower than you want/wanted them to be, basically.
The "lagged behind our estimates" bit refers to the fact they thought it would increase, but it didn't.
In general, it can mean to improve, though only in cases where any quantity involved is going up. If something improves by going down (such as a crime rate), you wouldn't use it. But someone's health can pick up as well.
You may also come across it meaning something increasing even when that is a bad thing, but that's far more unusual. I might even go as far as to call it exceptional, but I have seen it.
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
The general meaning of "to pick up" is "to improve," or "to become better," but in the context of the OP's example "improve" obviously has the same meaning as "increase".
– alephzero
Mar 3 at 23:42
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
Mar 4 at 0:34
4
I'd say that in my experience, at least, something "picking up" implies an accelerating improvement. It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it gives me that impression.
– Hearth
Mar 4 at 2:38
add a comment |
It means increase, in the context of a quantity, but specifically to increase from a disappointingly low level, or surprisingly low level, or inconveniently low level.
It's used when things are/were lower than you want/wanted them to be, basically.
The "lagged behind our estimates" bit refers to the fact they thought it would increase, but it didn't.
In general, it can mean to improve, though only in cases where any quantity involved is going up. If something improves by going down (such as a crime rate), you wouldn't use it. But someone's health can pick up as well.
You may also come across it meaning something increasing even when that is a bad thing, but that's far more unusual. I might even go as far as to call it exceptional, but I have seen it.
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
It means increase, in the context of a quantity, but specifically to increase from a disappointingly low level, or surprisingly low level, or inconveniently low level.
It's used when things are/were lower than you want/wanted them to be, basically.
The "lagged behind our estimates" bit refers to the fact they thought it would increase, but it didn't.
In general, it can mean to improve, though only in cases where any quantity involved is going up. If something improves by going down (such as a crime rate), you wouldn't use it. But someone's health can pick up as well.
You may also come across it meaning something increasing even when that is a bad thing, but that's far more unusual. I might even go as far as to call it exceptional, but I have seen it.
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
edited Mar 4 at 0:37
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
answered Mar 3 at 21:24
SamBCSamBC
16k2163
16k2163
The general meaning of "to pick up" is "to improve," or "to become better," but in the context of the OP's example "improve" obviously has the same meaning as "increase".
– alephzero
Mar 3 at 23:42
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
Mar 4 at 0:34
4
I'd say that in my experience, at least, something "picking up" implies an accelerating improvement. It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it gives me that impression.
– Hearth
Mar 4 at 2:38
add a comment |
The general meaning of "to pick up" is "to improve," or "to become better," but in the context of the OP's example "improve" obviously has the same meaning as "increase".
– alephzero
Mar 3 at 23:42
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
Mar 4 at 0:34
4
I'd say that in my experience, at least, something "picking up" implies an accelerating improvement. It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it gives me that impression.
– Hearth
Mar 4 at 2:38
The general meaning of "to pick up" is "to improve," or "to become better," but in the context of the OP's example "improve" obviously has the same meaning as "increase".
– alephzero
Mar 3 at 23:42
The general meaning of "to pick up" is "to improve," or "to become better," but in the context of the OP's example "improve" obviously has the same meaning as "increase".
– alephzero
Mar 3 at 23:42
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
Mar 4 at 0:34
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
Mar 4 at 0:34
4
4
I'd say that in my experience, at least, something "picking up" implies an accelerating improvement. It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it gives me that impression.
– Hearth
Mar 4 at 2:38
I'd say that in my experience, at least, something "picking up" implies an accelerating improvement. It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it gives me that impression.
– Hearth
Mar 4 at 2:38
add a comment |
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
Mar 3 at 20:54