pick off

pick off  {v.}
1. To pull off; remove with the fingers.
He picked off the burs that had stuck to his overcoat.
2. To shoot, one at a time; knock down one by one.
The sniper picked off the slower soldiers as they came out into the road.
3. To catch a base runner off base by throwing the ball quickly to a fielder who tags him out.
The pitcher turned around suddenly and threw to the second baseman to pick the runner off second base.
Compare: OFF BASE.
4. To catch and, especially in football, to intercept.
Alert defenders picked off three of Jack's passes.
Categories: time {v.}