picket

[Pick·et]

A picket is a vertical wooden board in a fence. You might have a white picket fence enclosing your whole front yard, so your little dog can't escape.

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A stake sharpened or pointed, especially one used in fortification and encampments, to mark bounds and angles; or one used for tethering horses.

Noun
a wooden strip forming part of a fence

Noun
a vehicle performing sentinel duty

Noun
a detachment of troops guarding an army from surprise attack

Noun
a person employed to watch for something to happen

Noun
a protester posted by a labor organization outside a place of work

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Verb
fasten with a picket; "picket the goat"

Verb
serve as pickets or post pickets; "picket a business to protest the lay-offs"

n.
A stake sharpened or pointed, especially one used in fortification and encampments, to mark bounds and angles; or one used for tethering horses.

n.
A pointed pale, used in marking fences.

n.
A detached body of troops serving to guard an army from surprise, and to oppose reconnoitering parties of the enemy; -- called also outlying picket.

n.
By extension, men appointed by a trades union, or other labor organization, to intercept outsiders, and prevent them from working for employers with whom the organization is at variance.

n.
A military punishment, formerly resorted to, in which the offender was forced to stand with one foot on a pointed stake.

n.
A game at cards. See Piquet.

v. t.
To fortify with pointed stakes.

v. t.
To inclose or fence with pickets or pales.

v. t.
To tether to, or as to, a picket; as, to picket a horse.

v. t.
To guard, as a camp or road, by an outlying picket.

v. t.
To torture by compelling to stand with one foot on a pointed stake.

Picket

Pick"et , n. [F. piquet, properly dim. of pique spear, pike. See Pike, and cf. Piquet.] 1. A stake sharpened or pointed, especially one used in fortification and encampments, to mark bounds and angles; or one used for tethering horses. 2. A pointed pale, used in marking fences. 3. [Probably so called from the picketing of the horses.] (Mil.) A detached body of troops serving to guard an army from surprise, and to oppose reconnoitering parties of the enemy; -- called also outlying picket. 4. By extension, men appointed by a trades union, or other labor organization, to intercept outsiders, and prevent them from working for employers with whom the organization is at variance. [Cant] 5. A military punishment, formerly resorted to, in which the offender was forced to stand with one foot on a pointed stake. 6. A game at cards. See Piquet. Inlying picket (Mil.), a detachment of troops held in camp or quarters, detailed to march if called upon. -- Picket fence, a fence made of pickets. See def. 2, above. -- Picket guard (Mil.), a guard of horse and foot, always in readiness in case of alarm. -- Picket line. (Mil.) (a) A position held and guarded by small bodies of men placed at intervals. (b) A rope to which horses are secured when groomed. -- Picketpin, an iron pin for picketing horses.

Picket

Pick"et, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Picketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Picketing.] 1. To fortify with pointed stakes. 2. To inclose or fence with pickets or pales. 3. To tether to, or as to, a picket; as, to picket a horse. 4. To guard, as a camp or road, by an outlying picket. 5. To torture by compelling to stand with one foot on a pointed stake. [Obs.]

A stake sharpened or pointed, especially one used in fortification and encampments, to mark bounds and angles; or one used for tethering horses.

To fortify with pointed stakes.

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Usage Examples

I remember at the age of five travelling on a trolley car with my mother past a group of women on a picket line at a textile plant, seeing them being viciously beaten by security people. So that kind of thing stayed with me.

Really, each era has its own false nostalgia. We all put a picket fence up around something. For my generation it was the '50s, and for other generations it will be something else. Change is scary for everyone, as is complexity, contradiction, and an uncertain future.

You want to shut up every Negro who has the courage to stand up and fight for the rights of his people, for the rights of workers, and I have been on many a picket line for the steelworkers too.

Misspelled Form

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Other Usage Examples

One of my earliest memories is of my father carrying me in one arm with a picket sign in the other.

My dreams were always small and puny. All I ever needed was a little house with a little picket fence by the sea. Little did I know that I would live in Malacanang Palace for 20 years and visit all the major palaces of mankind. And then also meet ordinary citizens and the leaders of superpowers.

It's all kind of a big illusion: the white picket fence and the perfect marriage and the kids. Check that box off, check that box off, and move forward.