What is the meaning of “pick up” in this sentence?
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 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
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 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
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 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
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 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
asked 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
asked 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
asked 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
asked 4 hours ago
Ally FeAlly Fe
697
697
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
1
1
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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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 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
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
1 hour ago
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
50 mins ago
add a comment |
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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 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
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
1 hour ago
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
50 mins ago
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 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
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
1 hour ago
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
50 mins ago
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 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
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 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
edited 47 mins ago
answered 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
answered 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
answered 4 hours ago
SamBCSamBC
8,3991233
8,3991233
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
1 hour ago
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
50 mins ago
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
1 hour ago
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
50 mins ago
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
1 hour ago
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
1 hour ago
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
50 mins ago
@alephzero: fair point. I'll clarify/generalise.
– SamBC
50 mins ago
add a comment |
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Increase, and possibly with the meaning of "from a badly low level".
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago